Easter is right around the corner. Growing up Easter was always one of my favorite holidays. I loved getting an Easter basket full of goodies; it was mostly stuffed with chocolate and gift cards.
The Easter baskets were reused year after year and filled with the same kelly green shredded paper. After church, we would always go to a nice big brunch, and I’ve carried that tradition with me until today.
Justin and I don’t get each other Easter baskets, but we do make a point to get each other a sweet treat, typically bulk chocolate.
I’ve been reflecting on my childhood Easters. They were never very wasteful, but after seeing the supermarket lined with disposable baskets, small plastic toys meant to break after one use, and tons of plastic wrapped candy, I can certainly see how it could be.
easter baskets:
Opt for a nice, well-made reusable basket. If you live in a small space, try and get one that pulls double duty. Maybe it’s an Easter basket on Easter but holds books, crafts, or yarn during other parts of the year.
Don't worry about the plastic "grass" either. My mom always reused the same shredded paper year after year.
Maybe forgo the basket all together? Instead, hide treats and candy around the house or outdoors.
egg dyeing:
There are so many great tutorials for natural dying online. Use kitchen scraps to make vibrant eggs or try the silk dying method. Both look beautiful.
easter eggs:
Opt for reusable eggs like these beautiful wooden ones. You could hand paint them or leave them plain. Or go the traditional method and use real eggs.
My neighbor has all sorts of chickens. Each chicken lays a different colored egg. They’re so beautiful, I don’t know if dying them is even necessary.
egg hunts:
If you want to do an egg hunt the reusable eggs are a great option. If you’re going to a large citywide or church event, you can turn the eggs back in. I’m sure they’d love to re-use them for the next year.
easter candy:
Candy in bulk is probably the easiest thing to find. Almost every candy store is lined with bulk bins and little scoopers. Bring a reusable bag to avoid any plastic.
Grab an assortment of candies and stuff your wooden eggs or keep the treats in the cloth bags. You could even switch them to tiny mason jars.
If you want to get store bought candy, look for foil wrapped items like bunnies or eggs. The foil is aluminum which can be reycyled infintely. Just ball it all up together.
You could also try your hand at making sweet treats. Nothing says Easter to me quite like Jello Eggs. My mom had egg molds and she’d make these (very ugly) jello eggs. I always thought they were so COOL! I can typically find agar in bulk to try and make a vegan version!
other gifts:
Of course, you can think beyond just candy. My mom always included gift cards. Get someone an experience gift like a trip to the ice-cream shop, tickets to a movie, a museum pass, a coffee date, or a trip to their favorite restaurant.
I've also pinned a whole bunch of cute Easter ideas on my Pinterest board. They may not be from a zero waste blog but can be made with zero waste in mind. You can check it out here.
What are your plans for Easter this year?
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