Hmmm…Easter baskets.
Well, there is the traditional candy, bunnies, peeps, and that sort of business which is perfectly fine. Then there is the non-traditional type of basket that can go in any direction you want to take it. So surprise, we took the non-traditional route.
This sent me searching the web for different ideas of how to fill the boy’s baskets with special little Easter goodies. I knew that I didn’t want to give them any candy because I would just end up taking it away…what’s the point in that.
side note: I did get a great idea from a friend for older kids. Any time they receive candy (like Valentines, Easter, Halloween, Christmas) give them a quart size zip lock bag and let them pick their favorite candies from their haul and whatever they can fit in the bag they can keep…the rest you do with as you please. A flat rule for every time leaves no room for arguing. brilliant!!!
There were lots of great ideas out there but I basically walked away with the feeling that it’s completely open for us to do whatever we want. How liberating! And in the freedom to do anything, we can also start new traditions.
I made a list of things that I have been wanting to get the boys but have been holding out on because I’m trying not to spoil them rotten. The list comprised of
- a memory game
- fat crayons
- bouncy balls
- play dough
- hot wheels cars
I thought it would be fun to start a tradition of giving them seeds to plant in their own pots and use it as a learning opportunity. We plant a veggie garden each year so I gave them herb seeds that started with the same letter as their name and put their initials on their planters as well.
I threw in some new toothbrushes too. I figure the seeds and toothbrushes can be something easy I can do each year. We can always add more traditional items in the years to come.
We got a couple of filler items that were on the Easter isle mainly because they were between $1-3 a piece and just too cute to pass up. Some of these items went into our plastic eggs since we weren’t using candy in our egg hunt. The rest of the eggs were filled with hot wheels cars. When the baskets became an afterthought along with the empty eggs I promptly picked them up and stored them away out of sight to be used again next year.
All in all, the boys were happy because lets face it why shouldn’t they be. We were happy because their little faces were lit up with joy, and we were able to gift them things that had been on the list to give. This Easter we started some traditions that they will remember for a lifetime.
Happy Easter…He is Risen
