Life
Where I live, winter often feels endless and desolate. But, around March, I begin to see the encouraging signs that spring is on the way. The tender shoots emerge from the cold ground. The birds sing just a little bit more brightly from their bear-but-budding branches. And on social media, dozens of my parent-friends ask each other what to put in their kids' easter baskets, so I preemptively asked other parents what they're putting in their kids' Easter baskets to give all of us some ideas.
Truth be told, there were a lot of repeats among the folks I asked, which I think is worth highlighting. I believe, deep down, that we all know that some of the more classic Easter basket items (small, spring-themed toys and candy) are sufficient. But in this Pinterest-perfect, triple-filtered InstaWorld we live in, it's easy to feel like we're not doing enough. Like we're never enough.
Guys. We're giving our kids a basket full of gifts and giving the credit to an imaginary bunny. That's enough in and of itself. And you're definitely enough, basket or no basket.
Personally, I like to "gift" items that I was going to wind up buying in the next couple weeks anyway. Bubbles (we go through approximately 47,000 gallons between April and September). Sidewalk chalk (which would last a helluva lot longer if my youngest would remember to bring it inside when she's done instead of leaving it out to get rained on). And one year I got my son Star Wars underwear, because he needed new underwear, and he thought it was the coolest.
So if you're wondering what that festive bunny should bring your kids this year, here's what other parents are going to be doing for their little ones this Easter:
Shannon
"My daughter’s only 2, so I was planning something super simple: a book and a small stuffed bunny."
Emily
"Yeah, Easter is a weird thing for me because, Jew. But the in-laws are into it and the kids love it, so here we are. I go to the dollar store and spend $10 on each kid."
Jamie
"We're picking up Yoshi's Crafted World for the Nintendo Switch. And by that I mean my husband wants Yoshi's Crafted World, but he's justifying the purchase by putting it in our child's Easter basket."
Erin
"I usually do a small toy (usually a Lego in my house), chalk and bubbles, a new swimsuit, and their favorite candy. We put coins in Easter eggs."
Jane
"To be honest, I only started to do Easter baskets last year because my children asked me why their friends got baskets and they didn't and I wasn't strong enough to resist; this was not a thing in my household growing up. I don't do anything elaborate, just some stuff I scavenged from Target over time. So basically, cute little notebooks for doodles, sidewalk chalk shaped like Easter eggs, some chocolates and jelly beans, bubbles, and other random stuff like stickers and such. I still have some time and who knows what I will buy for no reason next time I'm at Target to buy diapers and get distracted. By the way, this post is not sponsored by Target, it's just that I go to Target way too much now that I have a baby again and need diapers and have been spending way too much money there lately."
Candy
"Bubbles, chalk, a book, swimsuit, beach towel. [My daughter] likes art supplies, so maybe a paint by number kit, new crayons, coloring book. [My son] is into sports, so a pack of basketball cards, sunflower seeds, maybe a hat."
Dawn
"Usually, we do a book and some candy — nothing huge! And we're huge Easter people, but the basket is secondary to all of the food we make and eat that day. The years that Greek Orthodox Easter is a week after regular Easter are my favorite, and we do go a little heavier on the candy those years because #clearance. And that is this year so we will see what happens."
Melissa
"We usually just do stuff they need anyways, like new socks, bath stuff, markers or crayons, a new book, and some jelly beans. We don’t go all out. I feel like they appreciate getting anything at all so there’s no pressure for massive gifts over here."
Natalie
"This year I am putting new swimsuits, flip flops, and beach towels along with a toy. And always books!"
Rachel
"I felt so smart this year that I figured out I could put all the summer toys I would probably buy anyway in their baskets and call it a day. Bathing suits, buckets, shovels, sidewalk chalk. No more extra Lego/book/puzzle/craft nonsense for me!"
Karen
"We usually do some candy and a gift, sometimes a toy, sometimes a book, sometimes clothing. I think this year I’m going to do the DVD of Mary Poppins Returns and a Pikmi Pop."
Christy
"I made the mistake of buying my first one of those beautiful Pottery Barn Kids Easter baskets. The problem is they are large, so every year is a struggle to try not to fill them with junk. We typically do a mix of candy, art supplies, and Legos. It's way overdone but at least the basket is reusable?"
Jill
"We do an egg hunt (again and again and again), and that’s essentially it. We are minimalists and I refuse to buy crap to fill a basket just to fill the garbage. They typically get one treat. I was thinking of swim lessons and Lego men in some of the eggs."
Terri
"Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs, Robin Egg malt balls, and Russel Stover marshmallow eggs. Oh... kids. That's for me. Never mind!"
Hannah
"We do books, bubbles, fun socks, Lego minis, a chocolate bunny, some jellybeans, and usually a small stuffed animal (Pokémon or dinosaurs the past couple years). Nothing big."
Tracy
"We are very Easter basket minimalist. Some candy, a book, a small toy. DEFINITELY Starburst Jelly Beans because they are life and I can steal them."
Shasta
"I do stuff they need. Like last year, [my oldest] got a bike, because she needed a bigger one, and Easter was coming up. [My youngest] gets puffs and pouches, a few books, and eggs."
