Just a note - Goodwill has a million baskets and the one here in town was selling them for .25 each this week.  They also had bags of cellophane grass for .23.  I bought a small, cute basket with a stuffed bear attached to it, still for a quarter, for dd17.  I've been buying a few pieces of candy as they go on coupon at Walgreens and will add some gum, fruit snacks and other more-healthy-than-candy stuff, but not too much.  When you get to be 17 and have a job, you ought to buy your own goodies!  Liz

For my DS, I did get a little candy (a chocolate bunny and some jelly beans and chocolate eggs for inside the plastic eggs).  I also got him a bubble gun and sidewalk chalk plus a ball for outside.  I also have a couple cars I might put in-he's car crazy!  We are not doing huge baskets, just a few little things.  My DD is just getting a little stuffed chick and a few plastic eggs with nothing in them-she's only 8 months old.  But DS will want to know why the Easter bunny didn't bring anything for her so I did spend a few dollars for her too.

I am very excited for Easter this year!  My DS is old enough to understand it a bit .  We are going to dye eggs tomorrow and do an Easter egg hunt Sunday plus the Easter bunny stuff.  Then of course, family dinner and spending time with extended family.  It's going to be a lot of fun!!

 Just a note of warning, Be careful with the plastic eggs that come apart. I had a child put one half of an egg in his mouth and get it stuck. It was not easy to get it out.  Thank G'd that his nose wasnt blocked or he could have breathed.So keep and I on the kids with them. Babs

Thanks for the ideas, everybody! 

Ariana, my son is 8yrs. old and your idea about outdoor/spring stuff is great.

Pat, I'm glad you clarified b/c I thought you were initially implying that my child was spoiled b/c he was---gasp!---receiving more than just candy in his basket.  I'm 36 and I never got more than candy or some plastic jewelry in my baskets, either.  I remember the year I informed my mom that I would like the Easter bunny to bring me a Wonder Woman doll---she quickly disabused me of that notion!

I view my son's basket like his Christmas stocking---I like to fill it with little doodads.  He has a nut allergy so there is not a lot of candy he can have.  As for chocolate, unless it's Hershey's, he usually can't have it.  So he will be getting a few Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme bars and a box of Hershey's Whoppers Robin's Eggs.

We use the same basket every year.  I bought him a really nice, durable one when he was a baby.  I recycle the grass every year, can't remember the last time I bought grass.  We always boil and dye eggs b/c it is something we enjoy doing together.  Our Easter traditions also include reading from the Bible and having our son tell us the Easter story using "Resurrection Eggs".  We watch the "Jesus" movie together and then hubby and I watch "The Passion" alone (It's too intense for son to watch now; maybe when he is 12).  Church on Sunday and dinner with family afterwards.

Wishing you all a blessed Easter and a happy spring!

 I had forgotten about the Resurrection eggs. Thanks for the reminder. Now i have to find them. Babs

when i was a kid, i got a choclate bunny and a new dress, hand sewn by mom in secret, i cant sew well enough to make clothes, and i couldnt afford a new outfit(even new to us!) for either of the kids, but life goes on, you do what you can do and you enjoy your friends and family and build new traditions with your own

Pat:

It's funny how things change. When my kids were little, they got candy in their Easter baskets and that's all. There were a few kids they knew (but not many) who got gifts of some sort at Easter and they were the spoiled ones.

 

Great point Pat! I am 25 and all we ever had in our Easter baskets were candy and eggs that we dyed ourselves (not that I'm complaining at all)! But when we were growing up we didn't get a lot of extras. Our big gifts came at Christmas and Birthday time (and it was never a $400 video game, I can tell you that) and the rest of the year we didn't get things like candy, soda or new clothes. Those were special treats. So, for us, a basket of candy by itself was a big deal.

But now that I am a parent myself (though my daughter is only 1 right now), I plan on doing things a little differently. As my kids get older, I may put some candy in but I'd rather buy them healthier things like fruit snacks to balance it out. Also, I want to always make sure that the focus is on Jesus Christ rather than just the Easter Bunny (no offense intended to anyone else on the board). When my kids get older, I like the idea of getting them Easter presents such as a new bible, a book, a Bible case, etc. so that they are reminded of the true meaning of the celebration.

For instance, this year I got her (again, she's only 1 so it's a small basket):

- Cheerios container

- New Socks (needed them anyway)

- A Book of Bible Stories for Mothers and Daughters

- New Sandles for Summer (neede them anyway)

- Sippy Cup (needed a new one)

God bless,

Julie

In Argentina stores sell eater eggs.  They are made of thick chocolate, they are hollow and inside it gas some small candies.  My Mom would buy one for me and one for my brother.  You could buy some small ones like the palm of your hand and some big ones like footballs. 

Now we go to my mother in law.  They do the easter egg hunt for the kids and they get lost of cheap candy which I hate and usually throw away later (except for chocolate).  I wish they had a devotional or some spiritual thought.  We don't buy anything else for our kids.  I made easter eggs once like in Argentina.  Maybe I will try it again?

By the way, I have just called my in laws we are now having a spiritual thought ! yes!

One thing that my ex-nieces used to get for Easter... the 1/2 eggs (the kind where you fill your own), some would have some candy in but in a few they would contain: a wooden cross (popsicle sticks cut), a piece of cloth to symbolize his garments being sold, a thorn (can't remember if it was in the shape of a crown or not), silver wrapped candy (to represent the betrayal), and a rock (for the tomb). They always thought they were winners when they got those!

 

dolly77:

"The Passion" alone (It's too intense for son to watch now; maybe when he is 12)

 

@ 33, I still feel it's too intense! but it's very moving 

 Julie-

Just a thought from a "veteran" mom- my 7 kids are 20 to 1- we'll be at church several times for Holy Week, they will be awed by the service on Good Friday as the lights slowly are turned off and we depart in silence, and the trumpeting music on Easter.  Some go to Christian school-

I think it's fine if the candy is from the bunny, and the toys are from Santa, they "get it" very quickly anyway, by the time they are three and in Sunday School, they know the story and the gift of Jesus.  Candy from the bunny is a bonus!   Just a thought, I don't stress about the secular parts of any holiday anymore, one less thing to worry about.