Homemade Easter Baskets

by Anna

Easter baskets are such a traditional part of American culture that sometimes even non-Christian children expect them. The trouble is that they are generally overpriced, and filled with rather generic, randomly-chosen elements of a combination of a set group of kinds of products….which can make the overpriced issue a double-blow, since at least some of what you’re paying for is likely to be wasted. Instead of going that route, consider making homemade Easter baskets. Not only are they the more frugal option, but you can easily enough put one together to suit any particular recipient and/or the preferences of their parent or caretaker. What’s more, picking out the elements is more fun and won’t necessarily take more time than battling your way ironically down the aisle where harried parents are fighting over them, and they aren’t the most challenging of do-it-yourself projects to assemble.

A baby’s Easter basket – most likely to happen if elder siblings or new parents are dedicated to the idea that family traditions must be applied immediately – might have in it a cute Spring outfit, one of those ducky-shaped refrigerated teethers, a few toys that are thematically designed around lambs, ducks, frogs or butterflies, and perhaps a baby blanket in some soft, pastel material. The Easter basket of a child whose parent feels a bit more Orthodox about things might include a cross necklace, exchange the big chocolate bunny for a chocolate cross, and perhaps replace the stuffed bunny with some other plush animal with angel wings.

There are lists available online which can point you to diabetic, sugar-free candies and snacks, but for a child whose basket needs to avoid edibles in general, an Easter basket can still contain jewelry and/or other accessories, stuffed toys, novelty pencils and art supplies, a cute graphic t-shirt, a game, or any number of little things for which you might look to Oriental Trading Company for inspiration. And of course, in the more general sense, making your own Easter baskets lets you browse different sources (don’t underestimate Dollar Tree) for the right size, shape, style and color of basket, the perfect stuffed bunny, and only the candy they like best (or the parents can stomach them eating).