Thanks to Hershey’s for providing us with a basket of treats.

Create Easter Memories to Last a Lifetime

Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays.  It’s in the spring so normally we had a bit of sunny, warm weather (though in northern Maine snow on Easter wasn’t out of the question) so when my brothers and I would wake up we’d find the sun shining through our windows and spotlighting dozens of eggs and other little treats scattered across the floor.  An empty basket was always by the foot of each of our beds and we’d follow the trail down the hall, down the stairs, and all through the house, collecting jelly beans and chocolates as we went.

It’s a tradition that I’ve been excited to share with my own family.  Last year was the first year that Bubbles was mobile and interested enough to toddle around and collect a few eggs in her basket.  She was delighted with the entire process so I think this year will be twice as fun for her.  She’s already talking about the Easter bunny, baskets, eggs, and chocolate.  It was very exciting for her to already have receive one basket.  As it is she loves when the delivery folks knock on our door; she has such fun “helping Mom” open boxes.  So when we recently opened a box that contained an Easter basket full of yummy Hershey’s treats she was extra excited.

My Mom always had a few Hershey’s treats in our baskets, and I’ve always added a few to the kiddos’ baskets, too.  That’s one constant in our Easter memories.  But one thing I decided that I wanted to do a bit different was to not only come up with fun and tasty treats to fill the baskets, I wanted to make the containers, themselves, a bit unique.  Maybe even more functional, especially for older kiddos (what are high school and college students supposed to do with a wicker basket?).

So for a teen or adult sports fan or outdoors-man, how about a ball cap?  It could be baseball, basketball, fishing – whatever they love.  Fill it with sweet treats, plastic eggs with coins or bills, athletic socks, maybe a gift card or tickets to a local sporting event (our local AAA baseball team has tickets for under $10).  And for teen or adult coffee or tea fans (or just someone on the go) you might try a travel mug or the hard plastic travel cups.  In addition to the chocolate bunnies, you could add tea bags, a gift card to a coffeehouse, a gas card, some spring accessories, or biscotti.

I think these special touches really do help make Easter memories special – things that your family will remember for their whole lives.  I know I can easily remember the special baskets my Mom put together and the thought she put into them.  Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest lasting impression.

For other ideas and stories of Easter memories check out the Hershey’s Bunny Trail.

What special ways do you create Easter memories?