I have bought the kids a few fun things for their Easter Baskets this year. I got them each 2 new shirts (on sale) a kite, some flower seeds and gladiola bulbs, and a little bit of candy! I also bought them each a nice basket organizer to put everything in. I enjoy trying to find them interesting and unique little things to stick in their baskets. What kinds of things do you like to put in Easter Baskets???

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), March 25, 2002

Answers

My boys love kites in their baskets.Never put seeds in the baskets,but think I'll try it this year,thanks for the idea.

I always try to add a new book for their age level,squirt gun(it's all ready warm here in Tx),and "peeps" are a must have!

-- Johna (MarcnJohna@aol.com), March 25, 2002.

I love Easter!! It is probably even more special than Christmas, less hustle and bustle. I also love to put together the boys baskets, why would anyone want to buy those pre-packaged ones? They each have a basket that we bought our first Easter in this place (4 years ago) and they seem able to keep up with them (why not other things?!!). I found quiet time journals at Dollar General for $2 each that are age appropriate (3-7 & 8-11). I am buying the little boys those and my older son a new book. He really enjoyed the DC Talk book JESUS FREAKS. It is about martyrs, both in modern and ancient times. I am going to look for another book in this vein I think. Has anybody read this? It is really good, especially for a teen, who may think they are having to sacrifice a lot of wordly things in order to live a Christian lifestyle. Makes them realize life is so easy here in the USA. Of course, there will be candy, thankfully they aren't chocolate mad, and prefer gum and starburst jelly beans!

-- Ivy in NW AR (balch84@cox-internet.com), March 25, 2002.

I'm not critizing but when I and my kids were small, all anyone ever got in their Easter baskets was candy and eggs. Seems Easter is becoming as commercialized as Christmas. I don't suppose a few little inexpensive items hurt though as long as one doesn't go overboard.

-- Barb in Ky (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), March 25, 2002.

The easter bunny always put a new toothbrush in our basket. The bunny also hid everything in plastic eggs that Leggs pantyhose came in.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhill@eznet.net), March 25, 2002.

This year my best friend Heather and I are going to get together and color eggs with the kids, there are 7 between the two of us. We bought some candy and I am going to buy color books, crayons, and something special each of them like, for Marques I usually get him a video, Jalynn likes Barbie, Journey will take just about anything. She hasn't decided what she likes best yet. Then I hide the baskets around the house like I did when I was a kid and let the kids find them.

-- Melinda (speciallady104@hotmail.com), March 25, 2002.

True enough Barb, I guess we got away from too much candy as we are trying to live a healthier lifestyle! And the kids enjoy the little trinkets I find, as they don't get them too often. I like to come up with interesting little things, that way they don't miss the candy so much. Of course they are all getting a rabbit, and jely beans and a few other things...

I also like to get books too.

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), March 25, 2002.

That's a good idea Melissa, substituting trinkets for part of the candy. I hadn't thought of that. It just seems to me though that there is so much commercialism around the holidays anymore. I hate to see Easter become just as commercialized as Christmas when all kids can think about is "what can I get?" I'm not saying you do this, I just see it so much today and wish people would just return to old-fashioned values.

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), March 25, 2002.

I always looked forward to my jelly beans with great anticipation and delight. I used to get so sick on chocolate, so I would trade my little chocolate eggs for someone else's jelly beans. My favorites were (still are) the fruit flavoured ones. We also had a lot of fun colouring the eggs. I don't remember getting much more than candy and a new book, and sometimes some little toy or some new pencils. I still have the Peter Rabbit book I got at age 9, though I thought I was too old for it at the time.

-- Cathy N. (eastern Ontario) (homekeeper86@sympatico.ca), March 25, 2002.

I guess it just depends on the family. I know when we were children we always got a little gift or two, and that was 25-30 years ago, so around here it is not a recent thing.

We also got all new outfits for church, from head to toe, everything was brand new. I can't afford this for my kids, so I guess compared to what I had as a child, my kids are not as "spoiled" as I was!

I did not realize it would be controversial, especially since so many people are trying to eat and live healthy lifestyles. I do strive not to be materialistic, but I do love to see my kids have fun and enjoy doing nice things for them. They are very good children generally and very accepting of the lifestyle we have chosen, even when they see their friends and school mates getting so much more "stuff" than they have!!

I have friends who have given things like bikes for an Easter gift, so I guess I am in the middle. Not quite as little as a chocolate rabbit, and some jelly beans, but not as extravant as a new bike!!

Anyways, once again, I have learned a few new things (!) and however you choose to mark the holiday I hope your children do enjoy it and you too. I am pretty sure mine will like their flower seeds and bulbs. I am going to give them a little spot of their own to plant them, and it will be "their" garden, which is a gift that will last for the summer and beyond.

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), March 26, 2002.