Like everyone, I wear many hats. Around this time of year, one of them is a pair of bunny ears. The Trent home celebrates Easter in many ways. We are a fairly flexible bunch in terms of traditions and holidays. (Did I tell y’all about how we flew to London on Christmas Eve this year?), but every Easter I tend to stuff some baskets full of goodies for my kiddos.
Here are ten of my favorite things to put in their baskets (now that they are bigger and I have no fears of them eating dirt, choking on tiny pieces, poking their eyes out, etc), besides the chocolate bunnies, Cadbury Creme eggs, Peeps, and those Reese’s Pieces carrots. Even if you don’t celebrate Easter, maybe these ideas will inspire future gift giving (new baby/new parents, graduations, showers, housewarming, get well soon, thinking of yu, birthday, favorite things parties) because gift baskets are fun.
- Fresh flowers. Once upon a time I took a floral design class. One of our assignments was to make a gift basket. The only stipulation was that it had to contain fresh cut flowers. Somehow that stipulation turned into a bylaw in my brain, and now I always include botanicals when I am gift-basketing. For my kiddos, I often prefer giving little potted plants, a pony pack of pansies, seeds, a small succulent, or a Venus fly trap to cut flowers.
- Socks. When we were in London, I ran out of socks. It happens when one is out and about in drizzly weather. So I bought a pair at the next gift shop we came across. This is how I discovered the London Sock Exchange. I am obsessed. They are my go-to gift of 2023 because they are that joyous. Happily, a fun pair of socks can be found outside of London. Tuck a pair of novelty ones into your bunny’s basket.
- Bath bombs. Both my teen and my tween still adore these. I like that they are consumable.
- A book. Our local bookstore, The Read Queen, has a marvelous children’s and YA section, and unlike Christmas stockings, gift baskets are big enough to accommodate a book or two. My tween and teen both love graphic novels, and I love any reason to browse a book store. It’s even more fun when the book store has both new and used copies on the shelf.
- A craft kit of their favorite fandom. They have Pusheen cross stitch kits, super Mario Perler bead buckets, and Star Wars crochet kits. Ask me how I know…
- Cheese. Okay, here me out. Our local cheese mongers, The Cheese Importers, have a cheese cave filled with local and imported goodies. We all have our favorites. We also delight in trying new things. If I’m shoving chocolate into a basket, why can’t I also include an artisan cheese from Colorado or France? Not all edible treats are sugar and carbs. Ask your cheese monger which cheeses can be left out safely for the night or leave a note in the basket to look in the fridge.
- Hair goop. You know your kids are getting older when they start caring about their hair. Novelty smelling pomade or a moisturizing hair mask. Into the Easter basket it goes.
- Playing cards. I keep a deck of playing cards in my purse at all times. Because it is an easy way of adding structure to unstructured moments. We’ve played many a game of golf, garbage, go fish, and gin rummy at a restaurant table. They don’t last forever… Cards get lost. Sauce is spilled across the Ace of Spades. I’m always looking for novelty sets that come in traveler’s tin. They make excellent gifts.
- Jokes. You know how those UK Christmas crackers always come with jokes? Turns out sharing jokes works for many a festive occasion. Mr. Trent delights in dad jokes. We often tuck a few hand written jokes in with the jelly beans.
- A card. Gift baskets come with cards—another holdover of floral design. But I’m a writer, I like putting down words. And as a mama, I appreciate any avenue I have to tell my kids that I love them.
Photo credit–Blast from Easters of distant past. This was the Easter I was pregnant with my son and my daughter was two.