DECORATING FOR THE HOLIDAYS.......BASKETS

ELEGANT EASTER BASKET

TRADITIONAL EASTER EGG BASKET

FUN FILLED EASTER BASKET

I have long loved the tradition of "Easter baskets". It is a tradition in my family .

When I was a young girl mom would buy little baskets and fill them with little treats and grass and hide them in the corner behind the big chair. Then on Easter morning ; after church we would go find the baskets. Mom would fix a big Easter dinner for our family and extended family and then later that day the "eggs" would be hidden out in the backyard and we would take our "baskets" and find the colored eggs. No prizes just the hard; colored; now cracked eggs! And it was so fun!!! ha

I too, did try and keep the same traditions as much as possible. When our oldest son was born on March 18 my husband and I colored eggs together for him and put them in a basket. He was just brand new but the tradition had begun and I am glad my husband didnt feel it was beneath him to enjoy this little tradition of mine. Two more children; (now girls) later; we continued to buy those fresh white eggs and colored dye and our family would sit around and color the cooked eggs. They would have so much fun with their dad making all sorts of silly fun eggs concluding dumping all the egg dye in one bowl at the end and making the "ugly egg"!

I too, had "baskets" filled with the dreaded "Easter grass" that stuck to everything for weeks later. But that didn't matter. That was the fun of it! Some years I would fill with jelly beans; chocolates; and other small candies. Then some years I began to fill with small books; a stuffed animal and such. One year I saw the cutest baskets made out of felt that looked like a bunny sitting down with his arms around the square basket. One had a baseball hat on ( Joshua's ); and the other two had pink little dresses and pearls ( Becky and Ruthies). We used those years and years until they were older. They would laugh saying : " Mom are you going to use those baskets again?"....... I did! " As they grew into college age I put a "big basket" on the kitchen table filled with grass and donned with treats for all to enjoy.

I have given many baskets away to others at this time of year filled with treats for those who need a little love. Easter baskets can mean many things to many people. For me they are a tradition for a family. What are they to you??