My children may be teenagers but I still like to make them an Easter basket every year. Instead of filling their baskets with chocolate bunnies and jelly beans though, I like to fill them with non-junk food choices. I might choose a few of the following:
For my 15 year old daughter who is on the track team at her school-
An I-Tunes card that she can use to download music to listen to on her runs
Head bands for keeping the hair out of her eyes at practice.
A pretty shade of nail polish (Who says athletic young ladies can't be girly too?)
OPI is our favoriteFor my son who who is in college and never has money to spend:
A Subway gift card so he doesn't always have to eat the junk they serve in the school cafeteria.
Movie passes for a little entertainment on my dime instead of his.
Passes only, a gift card would allow him to buy the butter-drenched popcorn! A gas card so I'm not stuck bringing him a gallon when his car runs out.
When they were small, I tried to fill their baskets with things that they could use outdoors since the weather would be warming up. The dollar store is perfect for finding things. A few of their old favorites:
-Sidewalk Chalk
-Jump Ropes
-Small Balls
-Squirt Guns
-Sand Toys
-Water Toys (to use at the pool)
-Bubbles and Bubble Wands
Of course we still filled plastic eggs with a few jelly beans and hid them around the house. There was still a chocolate bunny nestled in their baskets too, but for the most part, their baskets were filled with fun in mind, not tummy aches from too much junk food.
Do you make up a basket for anyone for Easter? If so, how are you going to fill it this year?
Wow, this is a great idea. I don't celebrate easter, but if I did, I'm sure my family would have filled my baskets with tons of cadbury eggs lol.
ReplyDeleteFantastic idea! I'm 31 and my dad came home the other day with my "easter present" a brand new skipping rope. Just like when I was a kid. He's a smart man!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I love that you still pack Easter baskets for your children.
ReplyDeleteI haven't gotten an Easter basket in awhile, unfortunately...the downfall of being the youngest child!! I love the gift ideas, though. I'm sure your kids will love them! After all, it's way easier (and cheaper) to buy candy than a movie ticket!! Have a great Wednesday!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great post. Change the focus. Love it!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit...candy is my favorite part! but then again we have special candy sent in from Germany and it's oh so delicious..
ReplyDeletewe do usually get a small gift, but I look forward to the candy the most.
I'm going to make up baskets for my nephews and niece. They'll get a toy and maybe one or two pieces of candy.
ReplyDeleteI totally forgot about the dollar store so thanks for mentioning it!
I always fill my kids' baskets with fun things from the dollar store too. One year I bought seeds, gardening gloves, and a small shovel to put in my daughter's basket. She loved that. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! I have always tried to put springy toys in my kids' Easter baskets. But you know, last year we had a lot of chocolate junk in them too. Not this year. I don't like how holidays seem to be an excuse to eat junk. Not happening in my house anymore! :)
ReplyDeleteThose are some really great ideas! I'm so excited that when I have kids I will be able to give them a different future than the one I was given just from small decisions and gestures like those. What a great, caring, knowledgeable mom you are!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas.
ReplyDeleteI try not to give my kids too much chocolate and candy in their baskets as well. They actually do prefer the little toys and knick knacks.I do give them some new summer toys for the beach and stuff like that. We have an Easter treasure hunt and I hide clues inside the eggs instead of candy. When they get all the clues they have to figure out where is the treasure. The treasure is usually large box with toys. Last year they got set of Bocci Balls and new Slip'n'Slide.
I'm making chocolate-covered strawberries this year :) All the flavor of an Easter treat, half the calories!
ReplyDeleteThese are some fantastic ideas! I actually read an article today about healthy Easter baskets. They suggested stuff like chocolate covered strawberries and other fresh fruit. I actually think I will give my children chocolate and normal "Easter stuff", when I have them. Why? Because my kids will only eat that stuff in moderation, so it'll be ok to give it them at Easter. Most kids, however, eat this junk everyday, numerous times :( I love your idea of gift cards and jump ropes. I may do that too!
ReplyDeleteBoys also like boxer shorts, ear buds, Rubik's cubes, Slinkies, Silly Putty, one of those little basketball games with the hoop that hooks over a door, those balls on the long rubber string attached to the wrist cuff, etc...
ReplyDeleteEveryone has great ideas for non-sugary Easter baskets - good comments. My daughter has a particular affinity for office supplies (?) so I am filling her basket with fancy binder clips, magnets, silly Post-It notes, sharpie markers, and funky pencils.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't checked out an office supply store recently then you might be surprised - they sell really cute stuff now. Apparently binder clips don't have to be black and boring - who knew?
Great ideas!!!
ReplyDeleteThese are great ideas! I am planning on getting some potted plants at our nursery, but a gas card is probably a better bet for my niece.
ReplyDeleteYou are a great momma! I always do a HUGE Easter Egg hunt every year, so we just hand out empty baskets :( Bad, I know. I did however skip the cadbury eggs this year. That is a big step for me.
ReplyDeleteSUCH A GREAT IDEA.
ReplyDeletewe are jewish and dont celebrate easter but this year (first year) my 4 year old is beggggging for easter :)
all for the candy.
GREAT ideas! I was just struggling over what to get my stepdaughter for Easter. Apparently she gets a huge Easter basket from her grandma every year full of anything she could want...so candy's out. These are all great ideas. I know she'd hate a basket full of fruit but non-food items she can use will work.
ReplyDeleteLots of good ideas have been shared. One year when my kids were little we filled their Easter baskets with gardening tools, gloves, veggie seeds, watering cans and starter plants and hubby built them a raised box garden. They planted their seeds,starter plants and grew their own strawberries, leaf lettuce, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. It was the best time for all of us.
ReplyDeleteHi Karen,
ReplyDeleteSo nice to meet you! Thanks for popping over my site, I'm following you here now too! What wonderful ideas for Easter baskets!
I'm feeling good now, I know this is a process and a journey, at times I beat myself up because I wished I really "got it" sooner but well as my nutritionist said, "Shelley, you could have waited another year, and then where would you be?" So true, so how are you feeling?
Shelley
oh, these are ALL great ideas. I can tell you my kids would love an i-tunes gift card instead of chocolate! Although the chocolate bunny is what made my son's front tooth fall out! so he's thrilled about that!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas, Karen. I'm sure they're happy with their Easter baskets, and they still had a taste of candy so satisfy a sweet tooth.
ReplyDelete