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Does anyone else feel like Easter gets “the short end of the stick” as far as holidays?
And it shouldn’t…As a Christian, I believe Easter is super-meaningful – that a person named Jesus died on the Cross for me long ago, and conquered death for all of us. What is more amazing than that?!?
Yet Easter seems “minor” sometimes compared to the two-month-long consumer fiasco that is Christmas.
Since I DON’T want Easter to be that for my kids, I’ve been tempted to forgo Easter baskets. But then again… I remember what it was like as a child. For me, Easter baskets – and the ham, and the church services, and the special meals and dresses and hats – showed me that yes, Easter is important. It is special.
It matters.
I’ve been brainstorming ways to make my children’s Easter baskets more than jelly beans and plastic trash.
Through these baskets, my goal is to make my kids feel loved, to point them to Jesus, and to give them little gifts which grow them as people.
I loved the idea I’ve heard about Christmas gifts – something to wear, something to read, something you want, something you need. I made some similar Easter categories. Rest assured, I’m not planning on doing one of each of these. It’s just a start.
Here are some ways to not spend a fortune:
- Set a budget per kid, and stick with it.
- Choose 3-4 pricier items in this list, and then fill in the basket with “Frugal Fillers” – see below for ideas.
Spiritual
- a Bible – This is our favorite children’s Bible. If you don’t have it, what a perfect time at Easter to bless each child with his/her own Bible.
- A Devotional – We love the The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers (Little Blessings Line). I’ve also just started reading More Little Visits With God
over breakfast to the boys – so, so wonderful for little ones. I’d say it’s geared towards ages 4+. I sometimes summarize a little when I’m reading. But it truly teaches some amazing lessons to these little ones, that they remember throughout the day!
- A meaningful book. It’s not easy to find excellent Easter books, I’ve found. But we enjoy the simple board book What Is Easter?
- A picture of your Compassion child, with a note saying that you’ve given him/her an Easter present from your family. You can view an online catalog for Compassion International here. All sorts of well-needed gifts to give children in need!
- a CD of praise songs (we love Cedarmont Kids Classics: Sunday School Songs and Classics: Action Bible Songs)
- Free printable memory verses (a friend laminated these for me, and we just love them! We use them often!)
- Free printable prayer cards for kids (shout-out to Megan for this idea)
and 
)Outdoor projects:
- gardening gloves
- seeds and good-quality spade
- a little flower with a pot they can paint
- a wooden birdhouse to decorate (I’ve seen these recently at A.C. Moore and Hobby Lobby craft stores for less than a dollar)
- a compass (we found one at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $2)
- outdoor washable paint – We’ve been painting cardboard boxes outside in the driveway. The boys love this!
Indoor projects:
- small wooden crafts (Dollar stores or craft stores sell them for $1-2 dollars. My son loves these!)
- a baking mix to make something for Daddy (This Cherrybrook Kitchen Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix is our favorite natural, allergy-friendly brand!)
- books on tape – Sam, my four-year-old LOVES listening to books on tape. It’s a great activity for his afternoon quiet time. His favorites are The Boxcar Children Collection and Winnie-the-Pooh.
- a small stuffed animal – I still remember a few special “friends” I got as gifts in my Easter baskets. 🙂
and Something to wear
- hat for spring/summer
- sunglasses
- flip-flops or Crocks
Special Frugal Fillers:
- Resurrection Eggs (you can make your own or purchase a set of Resurrection Eggs)
- Date with mom/Date with dad “tickets” in plastic eggs. (These don’t need to be expensive…Go on a walk, back scratch, have some lemonade on the porch, go to Lowe’s, etc.)
- Plastic eggs filled with “I love you because…” sentences- either draw or write your answers.
- A homemade cookie or treat that you know your child loves.
- Something yummy and sweet – We love the YumEarth Organics line of natural candies – Sour Jelly Beans, Organic Lollipops, and YumEarth Organics Gummy Bears. No bouncing off the walls from icky red dyes! 🙂
)Did you have Easter baskets as a child? What special gifts do you love giving your kiddos?
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