Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

The first family addresses the crowd as the Easter egg roll kicks off Monday.

Updated 4/9 at 11:17 a.m. ET

For the kiddie set, it is the hottest ticket in Washington.

The 2012 White House Easter Egg Roll kicked off Monday, as more than 30,000 people from across the nation swarmed the sprawling south lawn of the White House to look for colored eggs and bop to kid beats. In keeping with First Lady Michelle Obama’s crusade to curb childhood obesity, this year’s theme is “Let’s Go. Let’s Move. Let’s Play.”

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

The president helps a young participant roll an egg.

The lucky families who scored tickets to the White House to celebrate the season with the first family did just that.

Parents staked their spots shortly after sunrise, in lines that reached from the White House to the Ellipse. Kids decked out in pastel-hued Easter finery darted across the lush green lawn, rolling eggs with wooden spoons. 

"My job is simple," President Barack Obama said. "To introduce the powerhouse of the White House, the one who is really in charge, as Sasha, Malia and Bo already know." 

The first lady is the event's official hostess. She and her daughters all wore the colors of the fashion season: Bright jeggings and tops. 

TODAY

Al Roker joined a cast of characters Monday at the White House Easter egg roll.

"Hope you got on some comfortable shoes," the first lady said, holding up her foot. "We got ours on all of the Obamas here."

Later, the president coaxed a toddler who struggled to get her egg across the finish line with a "c'mon, baby." He high-fived another little boy for accomplishing the feat.

The president read "Where the Wild Things Are" to the assembled tots. "You guys were excellent wild things," he said. "I'm very proud of you. One more roar!" And the kids roared. 

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

The action gets underway on the south lawn.

The Easter egg roll is the largest public event the White House stages each year. 14,500 hard-boiled, dyed eggs are used. Kids 13 and under get a souvenir wooden White House Easter egg with the stamped signature of the president and first lady. 

Olympic medalists Dominique Dawes and Michelle Kwan and "The Biggest Loser" coach Bob Harper, among others, were on the lawn to lead kids in sports-based exercises aimed at showing fun ways to stay fit.

There was even a yoga garden for kids to get their om on.

Cody Simpson and Rachel Crow were on hand to perform, joining a host of characters including Elmo, Dora the Explorer, Charlie Brown and Snoopy and, of course, the Easter bunny.

Celebrity chefs Marcus Samuelsson, Pat and Gina Neely and Bryan Voltaggio whipped up healthy snacks. Julianne Moore and Forest Whitaker were chosen as star story-time readers to share springtime tales.

More: Video: Al kicks off White House Easter egg roll 
Awkward Easter: Scary bunnies slideshow 
Photos: Scared of the Easter bunny  
Video: Tim Tebow draws huge crowds for Easter 
Secret Service ready 'fur' action at Easter egg roll  

TODAY.com political contributor Halimah Abdullah is the site’s woman in Washington.

by Alex Smith

The life of a United States Secret Service agent can be filled with unforgettable experiences. Perhaps you’ll be assigned to safeguarding the first family, or protecting domestic computer systems from hackers. You may be put in harm’s way in the name of your country. Or maybe you’ll have to squeeze yourself into a giant bunny costume.

That’s right: For the White House’s annual Easter Egg Roll, many of our nation’s most elite agents don the fur in order to maintain a discreet phalanx of security. Sure, they may look cuddly, but make any false moves and you should probably expect a six-foot rabbit to hop down on you with military stealth and efficiency.

Schenz Theatrical Supply, profiled in the video blow, is the business that provides the White House with the appropriate gear. 

Senior Editor Alex Smith is actively afraid of all adults dressed as bunnies, let alone ones that might be packin' heat.

What's cuter than an adorable bunny sitting in an Easter basket? How about a rabbit earning his keep (and his carrots) by participating in a jumping competition!

No, seriously — watch the video and keep track of how many times you smile and say, "Awwww!"

Although this was only the second annual Rabbit Grand National, it was part of the recently renamed Burgess Premiere Small Animal Show, which has been promoting small-animal care and breeding since 1921. This year's show took place in Harrogate, Yorkshire, England, and the event was truly hopping, with more than 3,000 competitors. Even within the rabbit category, floppy-eared athletes came from as far away as Sweden.

Animal Tracks: Want more bunnies? Hop over to these furry stories

This is a good reminder that dogs and cats aren't the only ones who can strut their stuff in agility competitions!

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery — and if that’s true, Richard Chin, a feature writer for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in Minnesota, should be wildly flattered. As Easter approached back in 2004, Chin launched the first-ever newspaper-sponsored Marshmallow Peeps Diorama Contest. Since then, similar Peeps contests have reproduced like bunnies all over the country, and scores of people across the land have gotten unbelievably creative with marshmallow bunnies and chicks. Take a peep at some of their weirdest and wildest efforts, including a visit to stately Peepton Abbey, a glimpse of a delicate medical procedure to separate conjoined Peeps, and a commercial for an erectile dysfunction product starring Peeps.

Slideshow: Holy Peeps! Elaborate candy creations hop to silly heights

"Peepton Abbey"? The murder scene from "In Cold Blood"? A beloved marshmallow treat provides the perfect artistic medium for funny, creative types.

Launch slideshow

Not since December have we seen such a crop of awesome scared kiddo photos. This time, the giant, costumed fearmonger is not a big dude in red but rather a creature sporting big ears, cheap fur and those creepy vacant glass eyes that accompany any mall-variety Easter Bunny costume. Frightened? These kids think you should be.  Hat tip to iVillage.com for sharing these gems.

Sketchy Bunnies

No amount of chocolate eggs will make up for this!

AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com

While sister is not quite sure, little brother is definitely not down with the situation.

Sketchy Bunnies

The vest and cocked ear would be enough to make anyone burst into tears.

Related content: Spilling the beans on the Bunny: One dad's Easter quandary

Sketchy Bunnies

The EB makes a dive to keep this tearful kiddo from escaping.

Courtesy Brittney, mom to Ainsley

As if one scary EB isn't bad enough, this little one has to deal with two!

For way more bunny-scare photos, hop on over to iVillage to see the full slideshow.

More stories from iVillage.com:

Celebs who got pregnant before marriage

Creative kids birthday cake ideas 

Awkward pregnancy photos

Spruce up your space for Easter Sunday! Jodi Levine shared some fun, inventive and (here’s the best part) simple tips for making adorable decorations using everyday household items. 

Illustration by Sam Spratt

"Between the death of Little Til, Herman Cain's dead rabbit ad, and the kidnapping of Miss Cooper, it's a bad time to be a bunny or bunny enthusiast," Gawker recently noted. Indeed, for lovers of all things lagomorph, it's best not to remember March at all. So, as we move forward to International Bunny Appreciation Day (which just so happens to coincide with Easter) this Sunday, let's cleanse our palates for April via this review of our very favorite bunny locations on the Internet.

Cocoa-chan, the therapy rabbit

Cocoa-chan is featured in "Pray for Japan," a documentary about survivors of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Here’s how she’s described it on her Pray for Japan Facebook page: 

Pray for Japan/Facebook

Sometimes humans can't help people more than little furry critters can. There was a special rabbit, Cocoa, giving people traumatized by the tragedy a little unconditional love. I gave this very special volunteer a folder of her very own. Cocoa-chan is still on her mission of providing help and hope...Stu is making sure all her fans here on the page get to see new pictures of her.
 

 Daily Bunny

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift delivery of The Daily Bunny. Each and every day, you'll find a a fresh new bunny picture or video via the Daily Bunny Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook. Bunny fans are invited to submit photos and there’s even a Bunny FAQ. As the Daily Bunny blog promises: "Daily Bunny is daily!"

Daily Bunny

Disapproving Rabbits

Disapproving Rabbits

If bunnies with attitude are more your speed, then Disapproving Rabbits is the blog for you. It started as an inside joke between Sharon Stiteler and her husband Bill.

Over the years, the couple shared their home with a series of domesticated rabbits. Noting that relaxed rabbits share a frequent facial expression of disapproval, the couple scripted words for what they imagined their bunnies found distasteful and put them online. Fans sent in photos of their displeased house rabbits, and as is the way with popular blogs, a book deal ensued. Also, these awesome T-shirts!

Roebling, the Brooklyn Bunny

Brooklyn Bunny

Roebling, the Brooklyn Bunny

The Brooklyn Bunny website, live streaming since Aug. 28, 2005, stars Roebling, a Dwarf Hotot rabbit with a fetching black eye who lives in the Greenpoint area of Brooklyn.

Kevin Dresser and Kate Johnson of the design firm Dresser Johnson originally considered the two-camera streaming idea as part of a bunny-sitting service. The side business never came about, but the couple decided to keep the camera rolling after they adopted Roebling, whose antics can be enjoyed by the entire Internet, 24/7. 

30-Second Bunnies Theatre

Graphic artist Jennifer Shiman started 30-Second Bunnies Theatre in 2005 to help promote her digital design and illustration skills. Bunnies, she found, were the perfect animals to act out an idea for classic movie reenactments in 30 seconds flat, starting first with "The Exorcist" in 2005.

Six years and 68 reenactments later -- everything from "Titanic" to "Snakes on a Plane" -- the Bunnies went on permanant hiatus while Shiman pursues other projects. You can still enjoy the fruits of their labor in the 30-Second Bunnies Theatre Library website, or in DVD form.

In conclusion: Following bunnies on the Internet does come with a warning. Don’t let their virtual cuteness convince you to adopt a bunny IRL – unless you’re willing to accept the responsibility of caring for a bunny for its full life – around 10 years. Many of the bunnies appearing in the aforementioned Web sites were abandoned. What’s more, animal shelters are full of post-Easter presents that needed more care than their new owners realized. Just ask the House Rabbit Society.

Helen A.S. Popkin goes blah blah blah about the Internet. Tell her to get a real job Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+.

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Martha Stewart Living

You know who's absolutely amazing at making Easter egg crafts? That's right: Martha Stewart. Here, the domestic diva herself shows just how to make neon-glitter Easter eggs that will stand out from the pack:

1. Before you get started, make an egg-drying rack: Cut a 10-inch square from 1/2-inch-thick foam board. Draw a grid on the foam board using a pencil and a ruler, and insert pins where the lines of the grid intersect.
2. Brush half an egg with craft glue, and sprinkle with glitter. (It's best to use glitter in the same shade as the dyed egg to intensify the color.)
3. Place the egg on the rack, glitter side up, to dry. Repeat on the other side of the egg.

Hungry for more fun tips and ideas? Pick up the April edition of Martha Stewart Living magazine, visit the Easter-decorating section on MarthaStewart.com, or download Martha Stewart Living's "Egg Dyeing 101" app here.

While we're all in the Easter frame of mind here at TODAY.com, multimedia producer Mish Whalen rightly postulated that no one doesn't like looking at pictures of bunnies. As such, she created the irrepressibly cute slideshow below, rife with furry, high-hopping goodness. Enjoy and happy Easter!   

Slideshow: So hopping cute! Bunnies around the world

EPA

In honor of the Easter holiday, we rounded up some photos of the floppiest and fluffiest bunnies we could find.

Launch slideshow

This story was originally published on Tue Apr 3, 2012 4:09 PM EDT

Matthew Mead / AP

A blend of crunchy cereals and noodles, along with chocolate, marshmallow and peanut butter, is used to create edible "nests" for chocolate eggs and jelly beans.

Retailers will likely have a Happy Easter as Americans are expected to spend more on candy, flowers and little trinkets to celebrate the holiday, according to the results of a recent survey.

Consumers are expected to spend 11 percent more than they did last year, or about $16.8 billion, based on the results of a survey conducted by BIGinsight for the retail industry trade group National Retail Federation. The average person celebrating Easter will spend about $145.28, up from $131.04 last year.

That’s no small sum, especially when you consider that most Americans are paying more for gasoline these days.

“Though the price of gas is on everyone’s mind, Easter is one of the few holidays some consumers are willing to stretch their budgets, especially because many children look forward to treats and new outfits on Easter morning,” said Matthew Shay, NRF President and CEO.

Buying candy and spring clothes will eat up a good chunk of the budget. Nearly half of those surveyed said they plan to take advantage of spring sales that retailers will have in order to buy new clothes. Total spending on apparel may rise to $3.0 billion, according to the survey.

And consumers will shell out another $2 billion on chocolate eggs, jelly beans and other treats. About 89.3 percent of consumers surveyed have candy on their shopping lists.

Another $5.1 billion will be spent on food for an Easter meal, with spending on food by the average person expected to rise to $44.34 this year from $40.05 last year. Others will buy gifts, flowers, decorations and cards to mark the occasion. (Consumer Nation has compiled a list of gift ideas that cost less than $25 for those who are looking to stretch their budget.)

This year there is also some good news for department stores. Although discount stores continue to be popular places for consumers to shop, four in 10 consumers said they plan to head to a department store for gifts and other holiday merchandise. That’s the highest in the survey’s history.

However, the biggest boost in traffic will go to online retailers. Nearly two in five plan to shop online, up from 14.8 percent last year.

BIGinsight polled 9,242 consumers in early March to compile these results.

This article, "Thank you Easter Bunny! Easter spending to rise 11%," first appeared on cnbc.com.

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