Somewhere along the way, Easter has turned into another big gift-giving holiday. Don’t let your costs get out of control this spring. Setting a budget and sticking to it is the obvious way, but that is often easier said than done. Another great way to keep costs down is to combine the gift with a purchase you may have made anyway such as jewelry for church on Sunday.
If you are taking a vacation this summer, it provides a fun and easy way to theme the entire gift. Theme Park Tickets may have already been purchased, but if your children aren’t privy to the details of the trip it could be an exciting way to share the news. Postcards, stationary & stamps give children a fun way to stay in touch with their friends while they are away and could be purchased in advance. A disposable camera or scrapbook is great to have along to capture the trip from the child’s perspective.
Use the Easter basket to kick off the warm weather season by filling it with items your children have outgrown or worn out since the previous year. Sandals, swimsuits, beach towels and sunglasses are great options. Outdoor toys such as jump ropes, bubbles, sidewalk chalk and bike accessories are fun choices for young children. Plump up the basket with other needed items in a fun way. Pick bath towels in their favorite colors or characters to use in place of basket grass.
Consider other alternatives to a wicker basket & grass too: a little red wagon, a bicycle basket, a sand bucket or beach basket all nicely hold Easter gifts but provide a lasting gift over wasted money. Think outside the basket and you can provide a lasting, memorable gift for your children on a budget.