Has Easter Become “Christmas II?”

This morning, I asked the listening audience this question, and got no response. So I'm taking it to the digital airwaves to find out the answer...

When did Easter become "Christmas, Part II?"

Religious connotations aside, I'm wondering when the Easter Bunny began bringing the gifts usually reserved for Santa Claus? In the days of my youth, we got a few toys in our Easter baskets--a football, maybe a few squirt guns, something fun to play with in the nice spring weather--but we didn't find video game systems, laptops or shiny new bicycles waiting for us on Easter morning. But it seems these days, kids are expecting to find big-ticket items alongside their eggs.

When did it change? At least Santa has reindeer to help him haul all that stuff...poor Peter Cottontail is all on his own!