For the past two years I have been doing this for Easter. I have three children ranging from 8 - 20. I hate those premade baskets - so I will pick up three baskets along the year - yard sales - goodwill etc. I start in Feb and buy one or two easter items every time I go into the store - candy small gifts etc. Then on Easter morning - I will spread the Easter grass out on my kitchen table and put all of the candy and gifts - making a cute Easter display. I set the kids baskets by their beds so they can see them when they wake up - and then I let them fill their baskets themselves. The only thing is I put their names of the stuffed rabbits so we don't have any confusion. My kids have enjoyed this and I will continue to do this.

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Vickie in Georgia...

That sounds like a real easy idea but wouldn't the kids fight over the toys? What if two kids want the same toy? I don't like pre-packaged Easter baskets either, so I try to make my own. I've been re-using the same bunnies each year and pack them up away with the eggs, grass and basket. I take these out only once a year so it seems new. I just have to find some small things for each child. And even my 16 yr old doesn't mind too much that it's the same bunny and basket--it's gotten to be tradition.

I do this too!!! All the little plastic bunny toys, little easter books, stuffed rabbits... I re use everything and they don't notice or care.

I agree, those premade baskets are horrible!

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:love:

I dont buy the premade ones either!! I get things to put in ours!! mostly refreshing there art supplies or Outdoor bubbles and stuff like that!!
Also books about Jesus (I try to get stuff that has to do with Easter and Jesus)

i hate those baskets and making up some too with all the little stuff it ends up being thrown away so we do other stuff this year we got sand box toys and put htem in a beach bag the whole thing cost 5 and with three kids alot better price and this year the Easter bunny is going to leave sand out side for them.

http://www.rainbowcastle.org/resurrectioneggs.html

Is a great website to make some resurrection eggs for yourself at a very cheap cost.
It gives you each symbol and the verse to write on a piece of paper. Take the symbols adn the piece of paper and place in plastic eggs that you can get very cheap after Easter or on sale. Then place in an old egg carton. Waala.

Easter Baskets and non-perishable items after Easter are sometimes found at some of the drug stores very cheap. I pre-buy things and place in last years basket and store in a white trashbag with all of my Easter items and then get the baskets out the next year and hide the trashbags with pre-bought items and have my kids set the baskets out with grass already in them and wait for Easter Bunny to come see them. I try and buy one Easter related item, one religious, and a few large candys instead of a bunch of little ones.