Easter Baskets are a classic tradition used to celebrate the Easter Holiday across the globe. If you and your family celebrate Easter, you’ve likely either participated in or at least heard of the tradition of Easter Baskets. This year, elevate your Easter holiday by taking your family’s Easter Basket tradition to the next level. Easter Baskets are a fun, simple tradition to celebrate and make memories with your family.
The History of Easter Baskets
The Easter basket tradition dates back a long time. It started with baskets of food traditionally restricted during Lent would be brought to Priests for blessing on Easter weekend. This tradition has evolved throughout the years; the items shifting from meats, dairy products, and actual chicken eggs, to chocolates, candy, and plastic eggs. Thankfully, Easter Baskets nowadays are primarily colorful baskets full of goodies for you and your family to enjoy.
Establishing Your Easter Basket Tradition
The base of the Easter Basket tradition starts with baskets, obviously. But there are a few decisions to make when establishing your family’s Easter Basket Traditions.
The first decision you have to make is how many Easter Baskets you want your family to have. This will vary per family and may change based on the stages of life your family members are in. For example, in some families, each child gets their own basket of goodies. But when kids are really young, maybe it doesn’t make sense for them to have their own baskets yet.
Another consideration when deciding who gets a basket is taking a look at what your budget is. More baskets can mean more money spent and that might not be what works best for your family. Check with your budget and determine what makes the most sense for your family’s budget.
After looking at your family make-up and your family’s budget, you should know who all you’d like to, and can afford to, make an Easter Basket for. Remember, whether this is your first year doing Easter Baskets, or you’ve been doing them for years and years, you can always adapt your tradition later to better meet your family’s needs.
Choosing your Easter Baskets
Once you know how many baskets you need and for whom, the next step is to actually get the baskets you need. This aspect of the tradition has no rules, and can be adapted to meet the needs of your family. There are many options for what kind of baskets to use. Ultimately, the basket is just the vessel for the treats and other goodies, so the kind of basket you get should align with your family’s budget and style.
If you don’t already have Easter baskets, I recommend checking out Etsy for awesome options. There is such a variety of different options, woven, classic, embroidered, and more! Whatever your style might be, there are vendors on Etsy making just what you are looking for. If you are looking for more generic options, the big box general merchandise stores and any home good stores also likely have baskets. You can choose whatever basket option matches your home décor aesthetic or holiday decoration vibes.
If you are looking for a more cost-friendly option, Easter Baskets don’t have to be expensive! Thrift stores typically have a great selection of woven baskets in all shapes and sizes. Don’t forget you can always DIY and paint a basket to make it match your theme, or your child’s favorite color.
If you don’t want to go the thrift store route, check out your local dollar store for basket, or even gift bag options! For example, the Dollar Tree has a whole aisle of plastic baskets and buckets that you could use as Easter Baskets as well. You could also shop your own home and use any kind of container you have on hand to serve as your Easter Baskets!
Stocking Your Easter Baskets
Now for the fun part – the goodies! The chocolate bunnies and eggs, jellybeans and marshmallow peeps are all classic items to pack your Easter Basket with. The stores are full of Easter-themed candy specifically aligned to this tradition. While candy is awesome, you also may want some ideas that are a little less sugary. If that is the case, we have some ideas for items to include in your Easter Baskets that aren’t candy.
Easter Basket Stuffers that Aren’t Candy
Toys, Games & Puzzles – Small toys, games or stuffed animals are great options to supplement your Easter Baskets without the added sugar. Target items that align with the recipient’s age. For older kids (or your spouse), these gifts might include gift cards, video games, or more complex board games.
Books – Books are a great option for any age. If you have a reader in your life, or even if you are trying to get kids to read more, there is no shortage of books. You can even look for age-appropriate books with an Easter or springtime theme for added festivity!
Arts & Craft Supplies – Items like colored pencils, markers, stickers, or Easter-themed craft kits will inspire creativity for the little artist in your life. As a bonus, kids’ Easter-themed crafts often serve as great decorations for the years to come. An Easter-themed coloring or activity book is another great option to add a creative outlet, while encouraging some learning along the way!
Outdoor Toys and Activities – Easter typically lands in early Spring, which means warmer weather and longer days! Consider outdoor activities and toys like sidewalk chalk, bubbles, jump ropes to help burn off some of the sugar from the candy. Seeds and plants are another good option to add to your Baskets for the Springtime. Not only will they get you outside to plant them, but they also give you an excuse to get more outdoor time throughout the Summer as you watch the seeds grow!
As you put together your family’s Easter Baskets, remember you are building traditions and lasting memories with your family. No matter what you choose to put inside them or what they look like, Easter Baskets are a fun way to celebrate together, laugh and enjoy the little treats in life. Remember, Easter Baskets don’t need to be overly elaborate or expensive. Instead, the importance of the tradition lies in the thoughtfulness behind the gesture, and the memories you are building. So, start the Easter Basket tradition with your family this year. Hoppy Easter!
