Spring Baskets

When I originally bought these baskets, I thought they were cute and sweet, and oh-so Pottery Barnish at a fraction of the price. Then I spent years trying to store them, wishing I had merely made fabric baskets like our Halloween trick or-treat bags which could be easily folded and packed away.

This year I did finally make new liners for them to replace the old ones. I had something different in mind, but my children liked the spring colors with white polka dots. With cloth liners, there is no need to even consider the horrible plastic grass we had as kids (not that you would anyway).

Reusable baskets, cloth liners, and carefully thought out items to place in them can change a potentially commercialized holiday into a simple one full of memories. We kept that in mind for our Ostara celebrations this year as we continually aim toward voluntary simplicity. Want to simplify your spring baskets? Check out some of these simple ideas:

• Skip the mass marketed pre-made baskets and go for something you put together yourself. Personal touches make any gift better.
• While natural baskets may be what we grew up with and can definitely be used year after year, they aren’t your only options. Think outside the box or even in a box.
• Skip the candy, or at least the majority of it. Who needs that much sugar? Rather than filling the basket full of sugar filled confectionaries (mmmmm….Peeps……), look for more meaningful items to fill the bulk.
• Consider something spring themed. Share your own childhood with items like bird whistles and hand knitted bunnies that take you back. Choose something that grows with your child and the season. Next year, when we are in our new house, I plan on putting packets of seeds for the kids to grow in their very own garden plots. Some gardening tools would go perfectly with that.
• Looking for some more filler? Choose something that you would use anyway and needs to be replinished, such as art supplies. Sidewalk chalk is always appreciated by my children this time of year, when winter is over and we are spending more time outside, as are the ever popular bubbles. Try some outdoor supplies such as a compass, magnifying glasses, or something else for your spring explorations.
• Keep it simple. Kids like it better that way.