When I was a kid we got baskets from the "Easter Bunny" filled with chocolate and candy goodies and then when we got together later in the day with family, we would get chocolate or few bucks from aunts & uncles and grandparents. My daughter just turned 3 a few weeks ago. In years past, we have not given her anything for Easter from us or the Easter Bunny, but she did get gifts when visiting my parents from other members of the family. Now that she is old enough, should the Easter Bunny be bringing her a basket or is this old-fashioned? I don't really want to encourage materialism and think my parents give too much for this holiday. Ever since they stopped giving a lot of chocolate and candy, they started giving clothes, dvd's and actual toys which I think is too much.
My daughter loves M&M's and hershey kisses - I thought of making her a VERY small basket with just some chocolate candies, but I'm just curious what other families are doing. Thanks!!
You guys win - Easter basket it is!! Thanks everyone! I like the suggestions for little toys and holiday candy - that way we acknowledge the holiday and make it feel special. I guess I'm just surprised how Easter with everything else has gotten out of hand. The baskets you see at the stores are HUGE and filled with so much and I still feel that the gifts my family gives are more suited to a birthday or Christmas.
Some of my friends end up giving stuff like expensive video games and such. We stick to a basket filled with the eggs we dye the night before along with candy and inexpensive outdoor toys (bubbles, sidewalk chalk). To each his own. I don't think Easter baskets make kids materialistic, it's a fun treat, that's all. Enjoy.
My 23-year-old and 13-year-old still get baskets from me (Easter Bunny). Do what makes you and your daughter happy!
Yes, we still give our kids an Easter basket from the Easter Bunny. Although, we think they may just be playing along with us because they are 10 & 8. I have seen several families give the toys and clothing. We have kept it the traditional chocolate bunny in the middle, jelly beans, foil wrapped chocolates. We also fill plastic eggs and do an Easter egg hunt. We usually put small candy and coins into the eggs, with one large egg that has $1.
Our girls know the true meaning of Easter from a religious point, but keeping the fantasy spirit alive is fun and there is nothing wrong with it.
Hope this helps with your decision.
i give my kids (and have since they were babies) an easter basket. i give a little candy and then some cheaper toys or coloring books, crayons, or crafts. then we have a get together and easter egg hunt with my husbands family at my house and then on another day we get together w/ my family. it's all a bit much for me, but tradition is hard to break and i have good memories of all the family get togethers and easter baskets, etc. i want to give those memories to my kids too.
Hi dianna-
When my kids were younger, each got a basket with small 'spring' type toys...kites, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, jump ropes, seasonal books. Now they are older, but I still do small baskets with candy.
Last year I found a wind up bunny that 'pooped' jelly beans...LOL...we used to have a bunny when kids were younger...we had to move him to a hutch outside as they kept asking if 'this' (rabbit turd) was a raisin!! I wrapped those up for my college kids and sent them with a box of raisins...in loving memory of "Pfeffer" , our long ago beloved bunny!
Have fun with spring...whatever you decide to do for easter!
Michele/cat
My kids get an Easter basket with some candy, 1 chocolate bunny and some small toys like markers, playdoh, side walk chalk, bubbles - stuff they need in the spring anyway!
One year they also got an umbrella - which they also needed anyway.
Oh, and a pack of flower seeds that they get to plant in the yard and watch grow!
Keep it simple
I'm so glad you asked this, because it was fun to read everyone's responses! My daughter is 3 1/2 this year and we have always done a basket with a book/stuffed animal, fruit snacks, and spring or Easter toys. (I avoid candy as much as possible...though it's definitely getting harder!) After reading everyone's responses, I am definitely putting a kite and some sidewalk chalk in her basket this year. What great ideas!!
I agree with the others...I got tired of all the chocolate and candy involved and the expensive pre-made baskets with nothing but stuffing and cheap toys so I make my own every year for my daughter. She is going to be 9 and every year I make a basket of something special. This year I got her a nice bag to use for summer camp and some puzzle books and other items from the dollar isle at Target and one special Peanut Butter Cup/egg. Make it personal and your daughter will love it!
K.
I will do a plastic easter buckets with a stuffed animal, fruit snacks, and cracker snacks (cheese-its or ritz sandwiches). They get so much candy from my in-laws, I refuse to give them anymore.
I still remember getting skates- the kind that attached to a child's shoes- getting them for Easter.
So much better than sugar- which messes up anyone's metabolism. I would keep sugar out of her life- she'll be healthier for it.
Happy Easter, k
im a late poster too.. but i wanted to let you know what i do for my kids. I make fruit "baskets". First we will dye eggs and leave them out for the Easter Bunny to see. Then the Easter Bunny will leave them "baskets". Each will have a bananna, strawberrys, apples, oranges, and whatever fresh fruit i want to pick up. then the "baskets" will have a theme. this year its a beach theme. soo i got new beach towels, water guns, the sand toys. the "baskets" are acutally sandbuckets. i will fill them with the easter grasss and then place the fruit and toys on top, or around them. We will all get a chocolate bunny. its tons of fun and the kids love it!
I make my boys, 3 & 21 mos, their own baskets with candy and a prize or 2. I got them a couple if Disney dvd's that will go in their baskets. I hide their baskets, along with sone eggs. So we have our own Easter egg hunt on Easter morning.
Then we do the family thing later on. I'm not real big on just giving them toys, DVDs, etc without reason...ie giving up pacifier, bday, etc. So I have these DVDs that I got a while ago and just put them aside for occasions like this.
When I was a kid we had the same baskets each year. We would dye & decorate our eggs leave them in the baskets when we went to bed, and the Easter Bunny would hide the eggs and fill the basket. There was always a chocolate bunny as the centerpiece and then some other candy and a small gift or toy of some sort. For our daughter who is about to be 7, I am thinking about introducing egg dyeing to her. We have a beautiful basket that I made for her with a big tulle " tutu" for and added ribbons and flowers to. We leave it out the night before for E.B., when he comes, he fills the basket with a really pretty chocolate bunny, a few foil wrapped chocolate eggs, and some plastic eggs with things like silly bands & pony tail holders & barrettes. I try to include some kind of small gift that she has been hoping for and maybe didn't receive for her birthday - maybe a zhu zhu pet, sidewalk chalk and of course this year Crayola has new colored bubbles.
