How to Create the Perfect Easter Basket

What goes into the perfect Easter basket? Just fill the thing with sweets and make everybody happy, right? As delicious as that idea sounds, there’s more to a great Easter basket than a well-stocked supply of sweets. Here are some ideas to get you hopping in the right direction.

You can choose a non-bunny related theme

Sure you can go with the standard bunnies & chicks route (nobody’s going to mind!) but you can make a basket even more special by customising it to the recipient. Do they like a particular TV character or celebrity? Include a range of fun character-inspired items. Do they enjoy gardening? Seed packets, gardening gloves, and a book on gardening make the perfect package for a green-thumbed recipient.

A basket doesn’t have to be a basket

Thinking about pulling out the basket you used last year? It might be fun to switch it up. Try to strike a harmonious balance between the basket and its contents, but remember that it doesn’t necessarily have to be a “basket” in the traditional sense. A small, colourful bucket makes an eye-catching basket for a child; adults may find fun in an “outside the box” approach like a canvas laundry bag.

DIY presents are always winners

Easter baskets are inherently sweet, but when you incorporate handmade elements, it makes the basket even sweeter. Homemade sweets combines love and effort while still staying within the realm of Easter tradition, or stick with the bunny-theme by baking up a chocolate cake in an adorable rabbit cake pan. You can also craft a handmade basket using construction paper or card stock for an added layer of DIY charm.

Be whimsical

Creating an Easter basket is not the time to take yourself too seriously. Strive for a lighthearted mix of whimsy and fun—and not only if the basket is for a child. Anyone can appreciate the delight of bright colours, unexpected patterns, and charming trinkets, so strike the appropriate note of whimsy in your basket and upgrade your basket from ordinary to extraordinary.

Add one “wow” item

Capture the element of surprise with something your recipient won’t expect to find in an Easter basket. Gift cards to a favourite shop, gift certificates (especially for experiences like the movies or a spa), handmade soaps, a jar of honey —be creative and score a memorable gift that will add perfection to the basket.

Keep it sweet

An Easter basket without chocolate is like a Christmas tree without lights—it just isn’t right. So while you’re working to make your basket surprising and innovative, it’s wise to include some sweet treats, whether it’s a chocolate bunny, or a few snack-size versions of a favourite chocolate bar.

And while you’re staying traditional, you might want to include Easter eggs in the basket, too. For some recipients it’s not an Easter basket without eggs inside. You can dye your own eggs or opt for the colourful plastic ones that have populated Easter baskets for decades. An added benefit to the plastic eggs is that you can hide things inside them for an additional element of surprise, which lets you balance tradition and surprise—always a plus.