The Easter Idea Place

by Carol Boles

Instead of coloring eggs this Easter how about having your kids make edible chocolate Easter nests? These nests are easy to concoct and will look and taste just like the expensive candy nests you see in the stores this time of year. Best of all, your kids can help with these. They’ll have fun forming this chocolaty mixture into nests, then decorating each nest with jellybean eggs.

What you will need:

A double boiler
A medium size muffin tin
1 (14 oz.) bag sweetened flaked coconut
1 (6 oz.) bag milk chocolate baking chips
1 can chow mein noodles
1 (7 oz.) bag assorted jelly beans
1 Tbsp. solid shortening
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

In a double boil (or place a glass bowl over simmering water) melt the milk chocolate chips and one tablespoon of shortening. After mixture is completely melted, fold in flaked coconut and chow mein noodles. Gently mix together until thoroughly blended.

Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon enough chocolate mixture into each section of a muffin tin to flatten along the inside of each section make a basket shape. Immediately press jellybeans (gently) into nest.

When all sections of the muffin tin have been filled with a “chocolate nest,” let them dry completely. While they last, display on a pretty dish covered with colorful Easter grass.

Makes approximately 24- 30 nests depending on your muffin tin.

Variation: These nests can be made with white chocolate baking chips as well. You can also add a couple of drops of either red or green food coloring to make pink or green nests from the white chocolate.

Happy Easter!

Carol Fraser Boles has a master’s degree in Special Reading and an Educational Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She has more than ten years experience teaching K-12 reading in public schools. She now manages her own business and is a member of The Lieurance Group, a freelance writers cooperative. Find out more about her writing services at http://www.lieurancegroup.blogspot.com. or email her at Cwrites-56@hotmail.com

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by Angela Billings

Here are 11 easy ways to help your kids celebrate Easter.

1.Make paper plate bunnies. Simply take one white paper plate and cut 2 ear shapes from it and staple or glue them to the top of another white paper plate and draw a face on it. Glue cotton balls around the edge of the plate.

2.Cut out construction paper Easter eggs and color and paint them to hang around the house.

3.Use rabbit, chick, cross and egg shaped cookie cutters for toast, sandwiches, brownies, rice krispie treats and more.

4.Color your own eggs by making your own egg dye. Try beet juice, kool aid and anything that has color.

5.Make Easter egg holders, cut empty paper towel tubes about 2 inches each and wrap in colorful paper. You can then sit your eggs on them.

6.Cut out construction paper egg shapes and write a Bible verse on each one about what Easter is really about.

7.Make small Easter baskets and deliver to nursing homes to those residents that never get visitors and to your elderly neighbors.

8. Read the Easter story in the Bible and some Easter books.

9. Have an Easter egg hunt and invite children of the community.

10. Decorate an outside tree with plastic Easter eggs.

11. Have a special breakfast, lunch or dinner on Easter Sunday!

Angela Billings is a stay at home wife and mother who publishes an online newsletter Home and Family Ezine. http://www.homeandfamilyezine.com

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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.

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by William Smith
The Easter Egg is a common symbol seen throughout the world as one celebrates the annual spring holiday, Easter. Egg decorating has evolved over the years in different countries, and is as varied as the cultures across the world.

Here is a look at some of the different decorating styles of these Easter gifts:

Russia – Perhaps the most famous decorated eggs of all are known as Faberge Eggs. They are named after the company that created them, and are exquisitely detailed jewelry designed in the shape of eggs. Faberge eggs, which are made from gold and precious stones, were originally created for the Russian Imperial Court.

Poland – The Polish pisankas are created by first dipping an egg in wax, and then carving it. The egg is typically dyed once the carving is finished. The Poles typically exchange the pisanka eggs as gifts between family members on Easter Saturday.

Ukraine – A process similar to Polish pisankas is used to make Ukrainian Easter eggs, known as pysanky. The most common design themes are geometric shapes like squares or diamonds. These eggs are also given as gifts, and it is common for the colors and designs to be tailored to the intended recipient. Receiving a pysanky as an Easter gift is a great honor in the Ukrainian culture, and the egg is often prominently displayed as art in the recipient’s home.

Greece – The Greeks commonly dye their eggs solid red. The red color is symbolic of the redeeming blood of Jesus, resurrected on Easter Sunday. One can easily make their own red eggs by boiling eggs in a solution of water, vinegar and red dye or red food coloring.

Germany and Austria – The Germans have two Easter egg traditions which help reflect their diverse history. In parts of Germany and Austria, green eggs are used, but they are exchanged on Maundy Thursday. Others parts of Germany decorate hollow eggs.

British Isles – The British decorate Easter eggs in many different colors and styles. What sets their tradition apart from others, however, is the Easter egg roll. The Easter egg roll is a contest is to see who can roll their egg down a hill and across the finish line without breaking their egg!

United States – Here, many traditions from cultures around the world are celebrated. This reflects the mixed heritage of U.S. citizens. The most famous Easter egg tradition in the United States is the White House Egg Roll that takes place in Washington D.C.. The tradition was originally started by First Lady Dolly Madison in the early 1800s, and has evolved since then. Every year, on Easter Monday, children participate in this symbolic contest on the lawn of the White House, which is overseen by the First Lady.

Holiday Gifts & Gift Baskets has a huge selection of Easter Gifts for kids and adults. Featuring Easter Baskets with chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, gourmet food and more. Visit http://www.holiday-gifts-gift-baskets.com/Easter.html today to see our whole gift selection online.

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