Easter is so early this year! It’s already time to finish planning out the Easter baskets. It can be a bit tricky to balance fun with environmentally friendly at times, but with the first holiday of spring, thinking about the environment should come naturally.

Along with your chosen religious celebrations, of course.

Tip #1

Save Easter baskets from year to year. Don’t get the cheapie plastic ones from the store. Get some nicer ones that will last. My mother still has our childhood Easter baskets… those that survived years of use, anyhow.

Tip #2

Don’t use that plastic Easter grass. Shred junk mail or buy paper grass or tissue paper if you must for the baskets. If the lawn has been mowed recently enough you could even try using real grass clippings. Fabric is another idea. Kids don’t really care that much about the “grass” filling their baskets. They tend to be much more interested in the treats.

It’s too late to start it now, but there are even kits so that you can grow real grass in the Easter baskets.

Tip #3

Go easy on the candy.

This one is a weakness of mine, since there are several Easter candies I adore. Many people try buying just organic candies and treats, rather than the usual mess.

You don’t have to limit the treats to candy either, of course. I love to give my kids craft supplies for holidays. They adore them, and I’d end up buying them some other time anyhow. Anything that is something a bit special that I would have to buy anyhow I consider to be a good idea for gifts. Some ideas:

• Books
• Bubbles
• Gardening supplies
• Natural beauty supplies (for older girls)
• Homemade play dough or slime
• Fresh fruit

Tip #4

Think about how you dye your eggs. The one good thing about dyed eggs is that your kids won’t be eating the dyes themselves, aside from the tiny bits that may seep through cracks in the egg shells. But if you make the effort, there are many natural ways to dye Easter eggs, and the colors can be beautiful.

Skip the plastic eggs, of course, although if you already have some they are great for hiding coins and small treats in for the egg hunt.

Tip #5

Think Fair Trade or local when possible for any of the above. The more we take advantage of these options, the more available they should become.

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