Easter Baskets - How Much?

summer shoes for each of the boys.....a LITTLE candy....small toys.....no more than $5-10 each (outside of the shoes...but those are the only shoes they get till fall!)

I never do more than $15 and this year I am keeping them both under $10 - thank goodness for WalMart and the Dollar store!

I think I spent around $35 on the basket this year. He's getting a Ben-10 LEGO thing that was 15, and a CD that was 10. I think the candy was roughly another 10, maybe a bit less.

$10...no more. It's not like it's Christmas :) I agree...too commercialized!

I don't have a set amount but i like to make it nice. I have daughters so i put a few hair things, nail polish, lip gloss etc in there. One year i did bathingsuits. I like to do things they need or will use. I hate doing the dollar store toys that i will just throw out. For the little ones i put sidewalk chaulk, crayons, coloring book and bubbles. I get a hollow chocolate egg from the candy shop with their name... that i fill with the jelly beans and stuff. Just a couple other candies like gum... that is about it.

Not more than $10.00 per child

My son is 7 and I think we spend about $30

I really hate how much Easter has become commercialized in our house I house I really don't want our kids kids getting much stuff or much candy. We are religious and I really want them to focus on why we celebrate and not have it be another mini Christmas.

We spend $5 - $10 tops for each basket. The baskets are always filled and it may change as our kids get older, but I try to put some candy, since they don't get any from relatives or anyone else (we don't live near any of our relatives) and usually a book about Easter and a small summer toy. I do have to keep myself in check because when I go to the store I always find a million things to get. I got the boys gardening shovels because they always want to help me outside, a coloring book and crayons and a little book this year and they will get a small amount of candy.

We have done sidewalk chalk, balls, frisbees and similar items before as well. Plus we bought nice baskets awhile back and reuse the same ones every year. Good luck!

about 30.00 a piece give in take!

I think it can vary by what's important to you and the kids' ages. You can do a theme, you can do more candy, more religious, more toys, etc. I think it's up to you. One thing that is a must is a chocolate bunny, solid or hollow, tiny or huge. Dye eggs the night before and add some in there before bed. (refrigerate before and after). Make your own little traditions. Use Peeps, jelly beans, kisses, Reeses. Get bubbles, books, jump rope, jacks, fancy toothbrush, etc. Fill plastic eggs for the basket loaded up or one candy per egg. Do an egg hunt in the house and make it as easy or hard depending on age. Hide them the night before. A stuffed animal is fun. Hot Wheels cars, a Barbie. Spring time fun like gardening tools, seed kits, garden gloves.

We normally don't due huge things for Easter. Some candy, some tiny toys, a book or stuffed animal, pretty simple. Then do an egg hunt. But this year we decided to get our triplets their first 2 wheeler bikes w/trainers. They're 5.5 so we figured, why not for Easter, lol. Of course, it comes with the lecture of "You all know that the Easter Bunny does NOT give big things every year, right? This was just special cuz you're 5." LOL

I think if you just do something simple and spend time together and watch some neat shows, religious or otherwise, it can be a fun day. And if the weather is nice, do some quality outside time together! Don't fuss too much with the baskets. It's not Christmas or their birthdays, right?

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

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This was a really good question. My kids are 13 and 16 and I was wondering what to do too.
If you have a Costco near you books and movies are fun and last longer than the candy. I was going to do flip flops and another mom mentioned a swimsuit which I think is a great idea. Good luck!

I spend no more then $10. We reuse the same easter basket every year. $5 on candy and $5 on one toy or a few smaller toys (coloring book, bubbles, stickers, ect).

When the girls were little, I think I spent arround $10 - $12, I'd included outside items like jump rope, bubbles, beach ball, sidewalk chalk, pail and shovel, and of course a small chocolate bunny.

As they got older, tween age, it increased to about $20-25. I'd include a more expensive item like a cd or a beach towel (keeping in mind I would need to buy the beach towel anyway).

I think it really depends on what you can afford, and also the cost of the items you put in the eggs. Remember a 5 year old has no idea what a bottle of bubbles cost.

$10 or less.

As I explained to my Daughter who is 7... this is NOT "Christmas"... it is not another toy fiesta... and she understands... otherwise she gets into the expectations of getting lots of "toys/treats"... since the kids all talk about it at school.

All the best,
Susan

I think it depends on the age of the child. My son is 2 and I am not even getting him an Easter basket although my parents and grandmother are going to buy him some eggs filled with toys and candy and a coloring book. I don't think you need to spend more than 10 dollars, maybe even 5 if the kid is very young. Luckily my son doesn't eat chocolate but otherwise I would definetly include a chocolate bunny...its not easter with out one!

This year I think I spent around $50 but that includes a basket; the past 2 years we just used those cheap collapsable bags so this year I wanted him to have a basket. The main thing I got for him was a new pair of crocs. The other things I got him was a flash light, pez dispenser, a book, tooth brush, sports top sippers, and 5 hot wheels cars that I put in some bigger eggs for the hunt. I also got 2 bags of candy for the little eggs. (and for us..lol) The basket would have been cheaper without the Crocs but I was planning on getting them for him soon anyways. Happy Easter!

My son is 2 and we are not spending anything this year. We will hunt for a few eggs, and he will use his basket (one I've had around) to put the eggs in the basket. We're using left-over plastic eggs this year-- we'll dye eggs next year. My husband's family will get him the traditional candy (most of which he won't be allowed to eat, seriously, does a 2 year old need a 2 pound chocolate bunny?!?!) and maybe a shirt or book (last year they got him "Spot's First Easter.") My family will give him some fruit, maybe some banana bread (he LOVES it), and some bubbles. That's it!

first of all, you need to spend what is comfortable in your budget, don't worry about what everyone else is doing :)

to answer your question, i spent more than i normally do this year, but mainly b/c there were things i really wanted each of the kids to have - easter seemed like a good occassion to give them, and all three of my little ones have bdays very close to xmas. my middle child is really needing a sleeping bag, and i wanted him to have a really nice one like his older brother, so the sleeping bag was $50 plus about $4 on candy, so $54 for him(we reused the same baskets every year). for my older child, he is getting a tennis racket, a bag of tennis balls and candy - didn't spend quite as much on him. for my 1 year old - she is getting the princess and the frog dvd and a book, plus a little bit of candy. i guess for all three kids i spent about $125, again, that's more than normal, but for the boys, it was stuff they were gonna need anyways.

Ha! I always spent a freaking fortune (my kids are late teens now) on Easter baskets and Christmas stockings. But, I'm always cheap the rest of the year, so it was fun to splurge and make the Easter Bunny and Santa really generous.

Easter Baskets - $50-100; Xmas stockings - $200-300 - it was their favorite part of Christmas. Like I said though, I'm cheap - my kids have never even gotten allowance. And we're not rich by any means.

I know O. thing...this year E. Bunny will be spending less...and I don't think it will be noticed. It has been ridiculous in the past. I usually end up eating the candy anyway! LOL

my son is three and this is the first year we have really done easter with him. (last year we were going to do an easter egg hunt but it rained). i have been getting a few things here and there because money is tight, and i would say i've probably spent....maybe thirty or forty dollars? i got him a hooded bath towel he liked, then a bunch of dollar-five dollar items. we will hide the 9 eggs we managed to dye (that didn't get broken! lol!) and in the morning he will find them. i think it's about the appreciation and the fun of small things, not about huge dollar amounts. we will also go to church, then grandma's for easter dinner and a bigger, outside easter egg hunt. we are SO excited!

I buy a good basket that is put away for next year. For candy, I probably spend about $10 to $15 total and that includes a chocolate bunny for each of 4 kids, some jelly beans and some other type of candy. Then they each get a book and some other object-bubbles or chalk or whatever. My son is not into those 2 items so I will get something else that is small. They also get a couple plastic eggs with change and one with a dollar or 2 inside.

We try to be very conservative over here. We have 3 girls and live in a very economically depressed area that's been depressed for years, not just recently. $50 tops total for all 3 girls. Not apiece, total. Good luck!

I went to our local Dollar General for their Easter baskets for 2 boys ages 11 and 2 1/2. They had pails as well as baskets so I grab the pails since they are boys. The pails were $1 each and I bought about 7 or 8 bags of candy all $1 a bag. I opted not to do the grass this year so I spent roughly $10 to $12 only cause I bought candy they both would like.

Our kids are young, so this is the first year that both have had baskets.

We bought good baskets the past few years, so we'll reuse those. We got 2 bags of candy (let each pick out a bag) at Target the other day @ $3/bag.

Each is getting a Dr. Suess T-Shirt that was $6.99 and a bubble gun that was $6.99. So, I guess we're at about $15-20 each.

It will not consistently be that high. There were just a few things we wanted to get (e.g. Dr. Suess t-shirts) before they were sold-out, and thought Easter was a perfect occasion to give them.

I used to go crazy at easter buying all the outdoor summer toys, sports equipment, summer clothes etc. Then I realized that was just plain nuts. Easter is not about presents AT ALL! So now the kids each get a 365 daily devotional book and maybe a new outside toy or 2. Last year my son was baptised right before easter so we bought him a gold cross necklace for easter. The girls also got cross necklaces (but much cheaper ones). I do not do candy because everyone gives my kids candy (and honestly we still have a huge bowl full of candy from halloween and christmas) and I don't let them eat much of it anyway. I would say I spend about $20 a basket (because the devotional is between 10 and 15).
Hope this helps :)

I spent less than 10 dollars on my sons basket. I already had basket, eggs and filling from last year. With the baking of cupcakes, egg coloring and hunting fun, I didn't think I needed to spend a whole lot on his basket. I got a couple of dollar items and a velcro mit and ball set for $5. I believe that is plenty, given the other things we do, like I mentioned.

Since my little girl was 3 years old, the Easter Bunny hides eggs in our house (mostly in her room or the playroom). I have reused various sizes of plastic eggs stuffed with little tootsie rolls or kisses. Last year, the eggs were stuffed with barbie clothes, matchbox or hotwheels, or coins for their piggy bank. This year, my girl will be finding a cd, dvd, and book. She is 6 and really does not need candy or toys. For my boy who is 3, he will be finding pixar car diecasts, cd, and book. For us, it is about the tradition. The kids love finding the hidden eggs or items. They also each have a basket that we use each year.

L.-
What a great question! I never thought about it until now. I only have one, so there is usually lots of leftovers. I usually buy 1 chocolate rabbit, one bag of jelly beans and one bag of chocolate eggs. I also buy a canister of slim jims and a can of almonds or peanuts. We dye a dozen eggs and I fill about 2 dozen plastic eggs (with the chocolate and jelly beans). I might also include a movie or plastic ball or something not too expensive, my son doesn't like stuffed animals. I bet I spend about $20-25 max.
S.