by Nicole Dean
I was talking with some girlfriends and the topic of Easter came up. I asked, “What do you put in your Husband’s Easter Basket?”

The response I got was surprising to me. It’s funny how our own traditions make us assume others are like we are. It seemed I was in the minority when it came to Easter baskets for the adults.

Now, obviously there is no right or wrong in Easter Bunny Land, however, I will share with you some ideas in case you’d like to surprise your Husband this year with a basket of treats.

Here are some of the Easter Bunny’s favorite things to treat husbands with.

1. Football or baseball cards. This is one of my Husband’s interests, but mostly because he likes to share them with our son. However, I think he enjoys it just as much as our son does. He enjoys getting any kinds of sports trading cards and files them away to look at later. He hopes to pass them down to our son when he gets a family of his own.

2. A gift certificate to his favorite restaurant (not your favorite restaurant). If he loves going to the noisy, greasy place with the football games on TV, then get him a date to go there. That’s a better choice than the sushi place that that he can’t stand.

3. It’s the season for baseball! Get him some tickets to see a professional game, or season tickets to college baseball games. Just think of his favorite team, and go from there.

4. Summer fun ideas. Are his rollerblades beat up? Has his basketball seen better days? Does he need a new running pack to keep his keys and wallet in? The Easter Bunny could get him a gift certificate to his favorite sports store.

5. Time to break out the grill. If your husband loves to grill as much as mine does, then the Easter Bunny could bring him grill tools, meat seasonings, a new basket or even a cool manly apron.

On Easter morning, after the kids have found their baskets. (The Easter Bunny hides ours, does he hide yours?), look at Hubby and say “You didn’t look for yours yet.” Watch the kids’ excitement as they run around with your Husband to find his goodies. And watch the surprise on his face when he sees what you’ve done for him. He’ll love you for it.
About the AuthorNicole Dean is a writer for http://www.RomanceYourHusband.com – a website dedicated to helping married couples stay friends and to help them remember why they married each other in the first place. Our motto is: If he’s sweet, rub his feet.

by Kingston Amadan

Easter is such a special time of year. I can recall fond memories of Easters past when my mother and father would hide brightly colored eggs in the yard and send my sisters and I out to find them. What joy we had running around the yard, looking in every nook and cranny for the eggs we had hand decorated together as a family. As I recall, whoever found the most always received a special gift, usually a dollar or two. That was a lot of money to us kids in those days. After the hunt, we would eat dinner together and then my parents would give each of us an Easter basket.

They were smart to make sure we had dinner first, knowing full well that we would never touch our food if we were given the baskets beforehand. I can still recall the happiness we shared, eating our chocolates, jelly beans, marshmallow candies and other sweet treats. I think I always enjoyed digging through the plastic green “grass” the most. It was like discovering gold to dig through the basket and find one of the last few treats which had fallen to the bottom.

Today, I get just as much enjoyment from watching my children having the same fun I had as a child. It’s wonderful to view the next generation enjoying the traditions of the past that still remain so much part of our culture. Today, however, I give Easter gift baskets to my children, my siblings, and close friends every year at this time. They’re wonderful for the kids and the adults all appreciate them as well since, like me, they remember the joy of getting an Easter basket. Easter gift baskets are filled with delectable treats that both children and adults can enjoy.

I order enough for my friends and family and my extended family as well since Easter gift baskets can be shipped anywhere. I find that they make a great gift for kids or for the kid in all of us. This year, I may even order one for myself. I may be older, but I still have a sweet tooth!

About the Author

To purchase a Easter gift basket visit http://www.giftbasketontheweb.com/

What’s in your Easter Basket? Marshmallow Peeps, Cadbury Eggs, chocolate bunnies and Jelly Beans? These are some of the more popular and traditional Easter goodies that are often found in Easter Baskets these days. However, with the world turning its attention to health matters and improved eating habits, this Easter tradition of sweets and treats may be on the verge of change.

This is especially true for parents attempting to instill healthy eating practices in their children; thus leaving many parents in a dilemma…what shall we put in their Easter Baskets? Fortunately, there are several options available that will still provoke smiles and giggles of happiness from your little ones.

The simple and quick solution is to substitute chocolate and sugar filled goodies with more healthy snacks. Any grocery story has a variety of foods to choose from including peanuts, granola bars, fruit snacks, fresh fruit, graham crackers, peanut butter filled crackers, fig cookies, and the list goes on.

In addition to healthy snacks, there are other items that you could incorporate into the Easter Basket to make it fun. Look for some Easter-themed activity books, coloring books and story books for kids. They will surely enjoy having something fun and entertaining to do during the holiday.

Don’t forget the traditional stuffed bunny! Or try something different by finding a stuffed duckling or baby chick. There are several Easter or Spring theme stuffed animals to choose from out in retail world.

You may also find fun Easter theme toys, such as small wind up animals and stickers. Another fun idea, especially if you get an activity book, are Easter theme pencils and erasers. You may even find crayons or markers in bright Spring colors.

If you still have room in that Easter Basket, cute clothing is always a winner. Whether it is Easter theme or just designed with Spring colors, buying clothing is fun and serves a wonderful purpose. Clothing that is rolled tightly and tied off with a colorful ribbon can fit into a small space and makes a nice presentation.

There are many ways to celebrate the holiday and fill the traditional Easter Basket without contributing to a sugar overdose. Have an open mind and let the ideas take form. Do some shopping at the local grocery store and see what you can come up with. Easter is busy time for retailers and many have had their items out since Valentine’s Day. Shop around, be creative, and let’s try to keep our kids healthy without missing out on the fun!

About the Author: Elizabeth Smith is owner of the gift shop Crafty Gift Creations. For interesting gift giving ideas and much more, visit her blog Topics, Tips and Tangents.

by S.L. Simmons

Instead of giving your children a big basket of candy for Easter, to save money in the long term consider giving them only a few treats and more books, crafts and educational toys. Candy is a big contributor to tooth decay, which can result in expensive dental bills. Sweets are also consumed right away, so with Easter baskets filled with only candy in a few days everything is gone and there is nothing to show for your money.

Even if you spend a little more in the short term on the gift items listed below, your children will be getting hours of fun from these types of small craft items and toys, which means that over time you will be getting more value for your money. Plus, items like books and sand toys are especially frugal purchases because when your children have outgrown them, they may still be in good enough condition to pass along to your friends or relatives, or sell at a garage sale

Some frugal Easter basket ideas include:

1. Books – stack up on used children books from garage sales, thrift shops and library book sales during the year. Keep a big stack of books stored away in a closet and then you will have some inexpensive books add to Easter baskets and Christmas stockings.

2. Crayons and a coloring book.

3. Modeling clay and some interesting mold and sculpture tools

4. For older children, balloons and a small pump to make balloon animals and sculptures.

5. A bottle of bubbles and some special wands for blowing bubbles.

6. A package of seeds, and child sized gardening gloves and garden tools.

7. Punch balls.

8. If you live in an area where it is getting warm enough to go to the park or beach by Easter, then assorted sand toys and beach balls are always a fun gift.

9. Check party stores for party favors and novelty items you can buy on sale or in bulk. One of the stores in our area has big grab bags of marked down and discontinued toys and favors for a few dollars each. When our kids were small I would buy several of these bags and use the toys for rewards extra good behavior, as special gifts on plane trips, for Easter baskets and for Christmas stockings.

10. Disposable cameras. Then spend the afternoon at the zoo or some other interesting place where your kids can take pictures.

For a few healthy treats besides colored eggs, try to add in items with some nutritional value, such as chocolate covered almonds or yogurt covered raisins.

By S. L. Simmons, editor at Always Frugal. Visit our site for more articles on topics such as living on one income, ways to make money when you don’t have a regular job, tips for cutting expenses, budgeting tips and more frugal living artices.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=S._L._Simmons

by Sharon Lauer

Celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox, Easter is a celebration of many things. Traditionally Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating Christ’s resurrection, but today many people celebrate Easter also as a time of renewal and hope. One of the first spring holidays, Easter is a perfect time to shake off the winter hibernation, don a new hat and welcome the anticipated warmer weather. In recent decades gift giving during this spring time celebration has seen a steady increase as people share the joy of the season with their loved ones young and old.

The Easter season is rich with symbolism and tradition. Most families include decorating eggs and egg hunts in their seasonal festivities. Like eggs, the Easter season would not be complete for many without a chocolate bunny. Adopted by the Christian culture from pagan cultures, these symbols of fertility illustrate our hope for new life after the winter freeze.

The most popular gifts during this season involve the Easter basket. Delivered and hidden by the elusive Easter Bunny. Their discovery brings squeals of delight to children on Easter morning. These baskets are traditionally filled with chocolates, eggs, and Easter goodies.

Children aren’t the only ones who love Easter baskets. The giving of baskets among adults is common as well. Many beautiful baskets are available for adults. Most contain the traditional Easter goodies and some even contain the symbol of purity and renewal, the Easter lily.

A time of birth and renewal, the joy of the Easter season awakens anew hope in all of us. Share your hope with those you love with your own Easter traditions.

Sharon Lauer is the marketing director for http://www.everyoccasiongiftshop.com and http://www.simplythebestbaskets.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_Lauer