When did Easter turn into a gift giving holiday?

[sherry7]

Disclosure: This post isn't directed toward anyone in particular, and I mean no offense.

On this message board and a couple of others I frequent, I've been seeing the question being asked regarding what to put in Easter baskets. I've been a little surprised to see some of the items on people's lists, because they are items that I personally would consider more in the price range of a birthday gift, Christmas gift, etc. (Just a few examples of items I've seen mentioned: video games, DVD's, a "few" gift cards of $5 to $10 each, clothing, bicycles, etc.)

I guess our family isn't the norm, because we've never done expensive Easter baskets. I spend approximately $15-$20 each for my college age son, and my toddler age daughter. DS is getting beef jerky and Slim Jims (his favorites), a chocolate bunny, and a few candy bars. DD is a toddler, so I don't want her having a bunch of candy. She is getting a small stuffed bunny, an Elmo book, sidewalk chalk and sunglasses from the dollar store, a small chocolate bunny, a small pack of lollipops, and I bought M&M's and jelly beans to put inside plastic eggs.

How about you? Do you do expensive Easter baskets for your kids, or do you keep it more low key like my family does?

 

[disneymomjcs]

I try not to go too overboard. When DD was little I would put books,a jump rope, litte cards games or trinkets and a little bit of candy. Sometimes I do a CD, nail polish small things like that. I never do big gift or cash. I have done $10 Itunes. I always look for cute things other than candy which evenutally winds up on my thighs

 

[wishesuponastar]

We keep it low-key like your family. Will be putting a chocolate bunny in each basket and I like the idea of putting socks in the plastic eggs and a dollar in about two eggs, a quarter in the rest.

 

[npmommie]

Disclosure: This post isn't directed toward anyone in particular, and I mean no offense.

On this message board and a couple of others I frequent, I've been seeing the question being asked regarding what to put in Easter baskets. I've been a little surprised to see some of the items on people's lists, because they are items that I personally would consider more in the price range of a birthday gift, Christmas gift, etc. (Just a few examples of items I've seen mentioned: video games, DVD's, a "few" gift cards of $5 to $10 each, clothing, bicycles, etc.)

I guess our family isn't the norm, because we've never done expensive Easter baskets. I spend approximately $15-$20 each for my college age son, and my toddler age daughter. DS is getting beef jerky and Slim Jims (his favorites), a chocolate bunny, and a few candy bars. DD is a toddler, so I don't want her having a bunch of candy. She is getting a small stuffed bunny, an Elmo book, sidewalk chalk and sunglasses from the dollar store, a small chocolate bunny, a small pack of lollipops, and I bought M&M's and jelly beans to put inside plastic eggs.

How about you? Do you do expensive Easter baskets for your kids, or do you keep it more low key like my family does?

We keep it low key too.
I always put a chocolate bunny, jelly beans, couple of plastic eggs with a jellybean or chocolate inside and they each always get a stuffed bunny and an Easter themed book.

 

[cajunbaby1]

So many have the gimme gimme mentality. All I ever got was a choc bunny (mandatory maybe jelly beans or some other candy and maybe a stuffed animal when I was really little.
No need to go broke for Every Holiday.
Now if someone on the boards want to buy ME a basket.....I'll settle for having my trip pd off and nothing else

 

[Mrs.Malone]

I posted about this a few weeks ago when I got an email from ToysRUs telling me to get started early on my Easter shopping with discounts on bikes and swing sets. Bikes and swing sets? Easter shopping?
Marketing is pushing us to buy more, more, more.

I don't usually do Easter baskets. We have an egg hunt with plastic eggs filled with candy or coins and that's plenty.

 

[goofyredraider]

I tend to do bigger baskets that look pricey....with a catch.

I start shopping early...hit clearance sales for odds and ends (for example, I bought some little Hello Kitty Easter stuffed animals at Justice in November for $1.38 each), or hit after Christmas sales. I also use my rewards I accumulated from Christmas shopping (Toys R Us, Barnes and Noble, Lego, etc.) and buy items for their baskets with them.
For example, here is what my daughter's basket will have in it:

a journal similar to this, from Justice - $2.39.

6 Gomu singles....paid .32 each at Target on clearance, so $1.92

the Hello Kitty stuffed I bought at Justice (colors are a bit different) $2.76

Hello Kitty plush from Old Navy - (used a store credit on this from a price adjustment). $0.

$7.48 with tax after using $10 bonus GC I had earned on a previous purchase, a $5 off coupon, and my TRU rewards

$5 with my Barnes and Noble rewards

$5.30 with TRU rewards a month later.

$1.00 with B&N rewards this month

.68 at Target after Christmas

$4 on Amazon around Christmastime, I set it aside for Easter.

Total spent was under $30.

I'll add about $5 in candy, and I'm done.
Retail would have been approximately $130ish before candy.

My boys baskets are similiar as far as amount/retail value, and my OOP is about the same (I used Lego rewards, a Walmart store credit I received, Barnes and Noble rewards, and TRU rewards on theirs).

eta: we do a egg hunt with candy filled eggs, usually, too. My kids don't get gifts except for Christmas and birthdays...or if they've saved $$ to buy it themselves. No extended family presents ever, either....just from DH and I.

 

[Mrs.Malone]

goofyredraider, that was some great bargain shopping!

 

[goofyredraider]

goofyredraider, that was some great bargain shopping!

Thank you! I think things like this are so much fun. I am a HUGE planner (hence why I love this board so much!) and I really budget it out, bank on those rewards, and always keep my eyes open for the perfect thing and great buy! As I said, I started in NOVEMBER. My husband has only asked me 100 times when Easter is since then...

 

[itutorfortravel]

Hey goofyredraider, I have that exact same Hello Kitty from Justice for my DD's Easter basket this year! It is already packed up with the rest of the stuff to go on our Easter cruise in a few weeks, which is DD's Easter gift....HA HA Just Kidding, everyone!!!

On a serious note, though, I do what goofyredraider does as well with bargain shopping all year. In addition to the Hello Kitty stuffed animal from Justice which I think cost me exactly what the PP paid, I got DD some sticky notes, holographic looking tattoos, a handheld fan, and some pirate themed stick-on nails (for Disney cruise pirate night!)...and I paid about 60 cents for the first two items and less than $2 for the second two. I then purchased a small cookies and cream Easter bunny, a chocolate cross, about 6 of those small Russell Stover cream filled eggs, and some gum (they don't sell that on the boat). I think the only thing I spent a little extra money on was a really nice headband but I was going to get it for her anyway to wear on our trip. I'll bet my total price for the basket was still under $30, which I don't think is too bad.

I would probably be one of the people who would get "slammed" if we were talking Christmas. We do go out all out for that occassion. However, we really don't buy DD much in the way of non-essential stuff except on special occassions, and we also do something for a charity and with our church to make sure we stay focused on the true meaning of the holiday and helping others in need.

 

[DawnM]

When the kids are younger it is easier to shop in advance, at least for me. Now that they are older they have very specific lists.

However, we don't give gifts for Easter. A bit of candy and a bit of money in their eggs. No actual gifts.

Dawn

 

[QVCshopper]

I'm tired of all the little junk and stuff that kids accumulate, and I'd rather get them nicer toys that last. But I shop sales and don't spend much.

My DD is getting a lalaloopsy couch, mini doll, and coloring book for a total of $13.50. I may toss in a couple treats too. I'll spend about the same on DS and my baby is getting an interactive lamb toy that I hope she plays with for a long time.

I'm carrying my theory over birthdays, too. My DS is getting one gift; one of hose huge Lego sets because he really wants it and because enough is enough.

 

[lizabu]

I don't get into all that big spending either. I usually do a chocolate bunny, some chocolate eggs and jelly beans and a stuffy. This year I found some really cute disney characters with bunny ears at walmart. I've often given a spring dress or outfit too but thats something I would have bought anyway. If retailers had their way Easter would be a second Christmas. I've seen Easter trees and Easter stockings for sale. I don't like it. There's already a Christmas.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I do a few nicer items rather that little junky toys and "fillers". Both boys always get a new t-shirt. Something I would buy anyway but a theme they really like or want. DS5 is getting a DS game I got off amazon for 15.00 and DS19 will get a 15.00 gift card for somewhere. There will both get a SMALL chocolate bunny and the older one a can of altoids and the little one tic-tacs.

 

[MinnieForMe]

I keep my baskets under $30.00. Although,there was a year that my son got a gameboy.

I don't like my kids eating candy so I would rather buy something they can use. Both boys will get speedo googles, a small lego set and one chocolate bunny. I also found $5.00 nerf guns on clearance. I'm sure I will find some type of filler (maybe a few eggs filled with jelly beans or gum and a couple dollars in change).

My daughter wants a big stuffed bunny and a small Lego Friends set.

 

[powellrj]

this year I decided my kids aren't getting anything. Last year I just gave them money in a card and this year I decided to even drop that. When they were younger I went all out with movies and and video games plus candy, but I decided they were to old and can just go out and buy what they want to.

FWIW, they are 29,21 and 15. I feel like I am spending a small fortune on dd (15) this spring with prom and her spring choir trip that I am just being a meanie and saying NO to easter baskets! We will go to sunrise and then I will fix easter dinner, but no baskets or money this year.

 

[TinkPirateMom]

I decided a couple of years ago that for us it was a waste of $30 per child to fill each basket with junk toys that I would end up throwing away and candy that I really didn't want them to have so I stopped with that although that is what we traditionally did. So each kid gets a larger gift but something that will be useful for Spring/Summer. For example, last year my teen daughter got a bathing suit, board shorts, and a pair of flip flops from Old Navy. My son got a water table that I got on sale at Target which he used all Spring and Summer long. So for our family that makes more sense than traditional baskets. We also do a little egg hunt so there is some candy in those eggs.

I don't see it as going overboard or my kids being spoiled. I see it as giving them a more useful gift.

 

[luvmy3]

I keep it pretty low key too. I don't give a ton of candy because I just end up throwing it out, or eating it myself
I have gotten them things like DVDs or video games, but always clearanced ones . This year I have super soakers and wiffle ball sets for my dses, that I got for 90% off at the end of last season. I don't know what I'm putting in dd's basket, so I'll probably throw some flipflops, sunscreen and a GC in there.

ETA I was just reading the other Easter basket thread and got an idea for my dd's instead of a GC I'm getting her a case/cover for her Kindle.

 

[Sugar Jones]

I do stuff they need for summer. Each kid usually gets:

1 pair summer jammies
bathings suit
beach towel
1 outdoor toy (sidewalk chalk, bubbles, soccer ball etc...)
1 chocolate bunny


Sometime's I'll put a DVD in there if there is something new out that we want.



I have friends that do Easter huge, like new bikes.clothes etc.. and I have friends that only do 1 chocolate bunny.


I'd honestly rather have all the gifts and no candy. My kids are not candy eaters and I end up eating most of it because I love chocolate

 

[shaylahc1]

My kids are getting more than they usually do this year because I wanted to cut back on the candy. I am also one who would rather give a few nicer gifts than a bunch of junky ones that will end up in the trash. I got some nice Vivitar digital cameras on sale at Kohls for $30 each after coupon so I bought 3 (I also earned $20 in Kohls cash). I used my Kohls cash (along with some Kohls cash I had from buying my DH a birthday present) to put together an Easter basket for my teenager for free (make up, bath products, etc). I still need to buy accessories for the cameras (batteries, SD cards, etc) total for that is $30. I will buy some candy also (probably $25 or so) as well as set up a small plastic egg hunt around the house ($20, we like to put quarters and small treats like gum or stickers, etc). Grand total spent for 4 kids out of pocket is $165, which sounds like a lot, but divided up per kid is about $41. They get nice gifts and less candy. I don't consider that horrible considering the quality of what they're getting.