When it comes to compiling
the perfect Easter baskets, it’s hard to beat the Easter Bunny himself. But if you have some little ones in your
bunch you’d like to assemble something special for, here are some tips for
layering it in just right.
First, start with something other than a typical Easter basket. The classic woven style with a handle doesn’t
translate into anything but Easter, and they don’t often linger too much longer
once the holiday is over. Instead,
choose a bin or milk crate basket that can be used for kid room storage when
the goods are gone. They come colorful
and printed or are made of natural woven materials that will have some double
duty staying power.
Do layer in some faux
grass. Today’s Easter basket grass comes
in different spring colors and feels hardier and less messy than what I
remember as a kid. If your basket has
some depth to it, feel free to bunch up handfuls of tissue paper to give your
grass layer a boost in order to show off the goody layer more prominently.
Branch out beyond the
candy. Choose some small items that your
individual recipient will enjoy. An
Easter weekend at the beach would be a great opportunity to add in a couple of
sand toys. The little artist would
appreciate a new box of colors or markers with a fresh coloring book or sketch
pad. Any small trinkets for the season
like sidewalk chalk, a jump rope, or a bottle of bubbles are simple,
inexpensive additions that can be played with and enjoyed. Consider a book, a DVD, or even a gift card
to top off the loot.
Choose unique sugary
finds. It’s natural to gravitate just to
the standard staples of mini candy, but walking through the Easter candy aisles
of a store can be a great wealth of new-treat information. You’ll find creative and crafty special items
made just for the holiday like decorated cookies, carrot shaped bags of bite
sized candy, and other indulgences that come packaged in fun and artistic
ways.
Don’t forget the eggs. Topping your basket off with some filled
plastic eggs makes for a nice presentation and one more way to gift little
surprises. Individually wrapped candy
pieces, coins, and tiny plastic toys are all welcome reasons to crack open
another egg.
Now arrange all your gifts
with one viewpoint in mind, stacking the larger and taller items in the back
and working toward the shortest in the front, fanning things out to show as
much of each piece as you can. Leave
your eggs for last, either spreading them out or leaving them in a cluster.
You may not have rabbit ears
and a cotton tail, but following this game plan could make you just as popular
as the Easter Bunny when your little ones dive into your hoppin’ Easter
basket.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star March 22nd.
