It’s the week of Easter and I have to assume I am not the only procrastinator — er, busy mom — who does not yet have her kids’ Easter Baskets filled with goodies and awaiting the big morning. And you know, as much as I love all the online guides I find for eco-friendly Easter basket stuffers it seems every year I still find myself in the same position. Life takes precedence and for me that often means my kids’ baskets aren’t filled with organic cotton plush animals ordered in from an internet source, but rather with regular everyday commodities I’m able to find at stores locally as I run my usual errands.
Here a few of the readily and widely available, but mostly eco-friendly, things my kids’ Easter Baskets will overflow with this year:
Organic, Fair-Trade Chocolate — I’ve been through the Easter aisles already this year. The candy is, as usual, cheap and wrapped in absurd amounts of packaging. I’ll forgo the holiday section and pick up a couple of different flavor infused organic, fair-trade chocolate bars instead.
Gift Cards — Say what? Aren’t those made of plastic? Well, yes. But not as much plastic as a barbie doll, you’ve got to give me that. Specifically, iTunes Gift Cards. Because digital music is not just more convenient, it’s also more eco-friendly. And, we love it.
Plants — Or, probably, more likely seeds. Our kids each have their own garden plot for planting whatever their hearts desire; that and whatever I put in their Easter basket. Even most big box stores are now carrying organic seeds. Pick a few varieties of vegetables your kids might like and tuck them next to their chocolate bar. And then, let them grow them in the yard, on the porch or in a windowsill container.
Art Supplies — Smencils, in particular. Made of 100% recycled newspaper and whimsically fun with different scents for each color, my kids love these. And Target carries them. Of course, recycled paper notebooks would be another good selection if you can’t find the smencils locally.
Bath, Body and Beauty Supplies — Even big box stores are carrying organic, environmentally friendly bath, body and beauty supplies these days. Chapsticks, lip balms, lotions, soaps and shampoos will all make an appearance in one basket or another here.
What are some of your favorite Easter basket fillers that can be found almost anywhere? No rush, I’ll probably procrastinate until Saturday night. I mean I’ll be busy until Saturday night, yes, that’s it.
Happy Easter, all!
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Diana Prichard is a rural living freelance writer whose work and life is chronicled on her self-titled personal blog, a Handmade Food Columnist for Try Handmade and the one-woman show behind the small mid-Michigan farm, Olive Hill.
How about sports equipment–a soccer ball, frizbee, skipping rope etc.–while not specifically earth friendly, certainly beat out other toys more likely to break etc.
Soap bubbles (you can make your own from earth friendly dish detergent, or buy some)and sidewalk chalk are other big hits in our house.
You can also make homemade playdough, slime, etc. and put those in plastic eggs (assuming you already have some–wouldn’t want to buy more of those), or package them in litterless lunch containers, which also act as a gift.
Here’s an idea that we’re using this year for my 7 month old son.
Instead of buying a cheap easter basket, use a small colorful reusable tote. I don’t mean a tote as in luggage, but those nice boxes with lids to store things in. After Easter, this beautiful “Easter Basket” will be renamed “Toy Box”
My Holy Saturday (day before Easter) blog post will be about this easter “basket” if you’re interested in knowing more.
Going along with the art supplies idea, a company called O’BON makes amazingly colorful and fun school supplies. Their pencils are made out of newspaper instead of wood and their notebooks are made from a sugarcane based pulp called bagasse. These products would liven up any Easter basket and allow for a different and original gift idea. Check out some of their notebooks here:
http://www.myobon.com/catalog/8
Great ideas everyone!
I hadn’t thought to mention the importance of repurposeable or reusable baskets themselves. Great catch! I love the toy box idea. Our daughters each have a metal bucket that they set out before going to bed every year that gets filled with goodies overnight. In between Easters they are stored in the top of their closets.
Good idea, Laura. We have the world’s first line of Eco + Fair Trade Certified sports balls for soccer, football, basketball (and more).
It is a positive, solution-focused product that fights against child labor and environmental degradation.