I’m so excited to introduce you today to my friend Heather and the meaningful way she does Easter baskets with her four boys.  She calls it the “UnEaster” basket because the focus is not on the Easter bunny but on Jesus’ forgiveness and the blessings He gives each one of us as His children.  Awesome, right!

Here’s what they do….She has each of her boys collect rocks and they write their particular sins on each rock in a Sharpie marker.

Then they place those rocks inside their Easter basket.  Then she covers their baskets in red cloth (or superhero cape) to represent Jesus’ death on the cross.

When they wake up in the morning, Heather has moved all their “sin” rocks into a basket marked “Jesus,” and filled their Easter baskets with “blessings!” 

The blessings are gifts that encourage their walk with Jesus and gifts that help develop their talents used for His glory.

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This will be our third year to do this wonderful tradition.  The kids have loved it and I especially love filling their baskets with items that encourage “growth with the Lord.”

Here are some of my favorite ideas for basket fillers:

• new Easter books or Spring books (Did you see our book list?)
• Bible or Bible storybooks
• music CD’s (like Seeds Family Worship, The Rizers or Yancy Not Nancy)
• favorite treat to eat
• seed packets
• garden tools
• Spring toys (kite, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, etc…)
• art supplies (or check out this neat family coloring tablecloth that I want to get for my daughter!)
• gratitude journal to encourage “giving thanks” (or drawing things we are thankful for–younger kids)
• eggs not only filled with candy but reminders from the Easter story
• a new friend!  Sponsor a Compassion International child and place their information card in the basket.
• Easter activity book or coloring books
• New “Veggie Tales” DVD or “What’s in the Bible?” DVD
• “ice cream date with Mommy” or “park date with Daddy” cards to reedem
• a Surrender Cross or Prayer Cards from Rad Joy
• Sermon notes journal for your grade school kiddos who attend church service with you
• flip flops or sunglasses for warmer weather
• Tabletop Truths (love these placemats that teach kids Scripture!)
• Favorite stuffed animals (we love Hallmark’s itty bitty’s)
• Audiobooks for listening in the car or while mom is making dinner (our favs:  Adventures in Odyssey, Narnia series, Boxcar Children)

We obviously don’t do ALL of these but any kid would be blessed to receive any items such as these!  Hope your Easter baskets can be a meaningful tool in teaching your kids the love of Jesus this Easter!

And don’t miss out on these beautiful Scripture printables from ohamanda to add to your unEaster basket gifts!

 I would love to hear if you do an Easter basket.  How do you like to reveal it on Easter morning?  What do you fill your basket with?