When Did Giving Gifts On Easter Become A Thing?

I'll start with a disclaimer - I'm not a parent. I'm simply an outsider looking in on this phenomena. Although, in fairness, I was a kid once and I remember things being distinctly different than they are today.

As a kid, my family always participated in the traditional Easter fun - coloring eggs and waking up to a basket full of sweet treats. But that was about the extent of it. We didn't have "Easter gifts". And I didn't feel like I was a deprived child, so I'm pretty sure my friends didn't either.

But these days, if you watch TV, listen to the radio, and flip through the weekly newspaper fliers, there seem to be ads for all sorts of presents for Easter morning.

And I'm not just talking about token trinkets like a Matchbox car or Barbie doll, I'm talking video games, play sets, and more elaborate gifts that you'd expect to find under the Christmas tree.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing, I'm just wondering - have fairly elaborate gifts always been given on Easter, or is this practice something that's emerged in recent years?

Did you get Easter gifts when you were a kid? Do your kids get gifts in their Easter baskets? Chime in below and join the conversation!