Best Easter Gift Basket Ideas

With Easter Sunday around the corner; everyone is busy making last minute arrangements. Most families and friends exchange presents on Easter. It has become fashionable for adults to organize Easter gift baskets for the children in the family. Most boys and girls look forward to presents. So if you still haven’t arranged for gifts, we bring you some quick gift ideas.

Fun Gift Basket

Regardless of whether the recipient is a boy or girl, children are bound to love the goodies you throw in. Nicely wrapped hot cross buns, hard candies, a craft kit and an animated video DVD will add that extra fun element to your gift basket.

Princess Gift Hamper

Now this is a ‘girl special’! Throw in fruit flavoured jelly beans, chocolate bars, Barbie themed stickers, Barbie themed hair clips and rubber bands along with a pink bracelet. Don’t forget the satin ribbon trimming for that princess touch.

Craft Basket

Now if you are planning a present for a kid who lovers painting or craft then check this out. Fill up the basket with jumbo crayons, a packet of color pencils and a sketch book. Of course don’t forget to add Easter cookies and a large chocolate bar!

Symbolic Easter Basket

You can always fill up an Easter basket with Easter cookies, hot cross buns, colourfully painted eggs and of course chocolate Easter bunnies!

Easter Gift Baskets

Traditionally people have always preferred gifting Easter baskets. In the olden days, especially in Germany, England and other parts of Europe grandmas would bake special goodies to fill up gift baskets. Cookies, cakes, muffins, wafers and what not! For those with a real sweet tooth chocolates are an absolute must. It has also been a tradition to paint eggs in hues of spring and heap them on baskets trimmed with flowers and ribbons.

Contemporary gifting traditions have undergone a marked change. Though people still do a lot of baking at home, most don’t have the time to make homemade stuff for so many friends, relatives and acquaintances. The best part is one doesn’t have to visit brick and mortar stores. Online shopping has changed all that.

You can actually log on to an online mart selling Easter gift baskets. We bring you some interesting ideas to add extra spice to your traditional East

er present. Gift a basket but with a twist. You can go for theme Easter baskets. Check out the following ideas:

Teatime Gift Hamper

Create a gift hamper with flavored tea bags, green tea, hard candy, tea cakes and cookies.

Cookie Baskets

You can heap in a host of home baked cookies into the basket along with good old chocolate candies.

For the Wine lover

A bottle of wine with dark chocolates and muffins make for a wonderful gift hamper.

Touching Easter Stories

Easter and the month preceding that is a time when people spend time with the family; especially children! Grandparents take time out to narrate touching easter stories to educate children about the true significance of the fest. We bring you one such inspirational easter story.

The Hare and the Elephant

Once upon a time there lived a hare and an elephant. They were great friends and the difference in size could not keep them apart. They would play with each other, crack jokes and have fun with riddles. They’d often play guessing games with each other.

One day the hare asked his friend, the elephant, “Which of us is bigger: you or me?” The Elephant could not help himself. He started laughing. He actually almost choked on his fruit! And exclaimed “Why, even on tiptoe, you’re not as high as my knee!”

But the hare wouldn’t give up. He insisted on pushing it. “That’s what you think! Since I say that I’m bigger than you, we need a judge. Don’t you agree?”

“Oh, yes,” said the elephant in surprise. “Well, let’s go along to the village and see what the Humans have to say. They’re the cleverest of all the animals, and the best judges!”

As they reached the village, they met some of the villagers. “Look at that young elephant! Isn’t he small?” folk remarked as the unusual couple strolled by.

“Yes, he is indeed! But he’ll soon grow up,” said others.

Then somebody noticed the hare. “What a huge hare!” they all cried.

Now, the hare tried to keep in front of elephant and puffed out his chest. As he passed, all the villagersexclaimed: “Look at his paws! And those ears! That’s the biggest hare we’ve ever seen!”

When he heard this, the hare turned to his friend, saying, “We can go home now! That’s settled! I’m huge and you’re tiny!”

The elephant tossed his heavy head. At a loss for words, he knew the hare had won by low cunning. But back on the jungle path, he lifted his foot and said to the hare,walking ahead, “Get out of my way before a tiny elephant crushes a big hare like you!”

Moral of the story

Clearly the intellect of the ‘bunny’ won! But then there are different interpretations. There are those who would argue about encouraging this kind of prank. An intelligent person should make productive use of his or wit. Respect fellowmen and try to help others instead of using ones smartness to put someone down or hurt someone.

Easter is typically that time of the year when we ponder on questions like why did the son of god undertake to suffer for our sins. As St. Augustine explained it centuries ago, “The Passion not only moves us to have faith and hope in God but also motivates us to a grateful love for God.”

Easter Inspirational Stories

Easter undoubtedly is one of the most important Christian festivals. It is that time of the year when Christians celebrate the first Sunday after the period of Lenten. Lent is when most religious Christians practice abstinence. It is a time for penance, introspection and self evaluation. The first Sunday in April that marks the end of Lent is celebrated as Easter.

During Lenten most families find time to be with each other at dinner; the elders generally narrate Easter inspirational stories to the younger members of the family. For those who are too busy and don’t get time to be with the family can always buy story books as gifts for the children in the family.

Books like the “Legend of the Easter Egg,” by Lori Walburg are good buys. The inspirational story is about a young boy Thomas.

The story revolves around young Thomas and his sister Lucy. They decide to play one April morning. When Lucy suggests they go out to gather eggs quite like ‘Easter egg hunting’.  Thomas wasn’t sure about the true significance of Easter eggs. As the story progresses Lucy takes ill and Thomas goes to stay with John and Mary Sonneman at their candy store. But Thomas could not get over the fact that his sister wasn’t keeping well. He was desperate and wanted to do something for her. That is when Mary narrates the Story of Easter. Thomas understands the true significance of Easter and learns how he can help his sister.

A Funny Easter play

It is that time of the year when most of us are busy with plans to celebrate Lent and then Easter. Easter Sundays are special. Most communities arrange for weeklong festivities, stage plays, and organizes fetes. If you are planning to produce a fun play for your function this year and are looking for easter play ideas? We bring you a funny easter play script. The best part is you don’t have to spend much and of course you have ample time to plan and practice.

The E-Bunny

This funny play is easy to produce and doesn’t require much preparation. The best part is about 6to 7 teenagers can easily participate. The flow of the skit is funny and is sure to have the audience in pits. The play aims to drive home the message that the true spirit of Easter is as prevalent and significant in today’s technologically advanced world. That advancement in technology and science is just a manifestation of Gods will for man to progress. Though the play is very funny, it is not making light of Easter. It is simply a fun way to spread the message. Check out the Sunday School Enter Website for the actual script!

History of Easter bonnets

It has been a long standing tradition in Europe for ladies to flaunt fancy hats adorned with spring flowers. Historians are of the opinion that the custom of wearing Easter hats came into being in the early 1800’s. Ladies would come out in all their finery especially for colourful parades. Easter is one of the most important Christian festivals. Also referred to as ‘Happy Sunday’ the feast signifies the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Women in those days were as fashion conscious if not more. Ladies would spend days on deciding what they would wear for the Easter parades, church mass and Easter gatherings. The festival also signifies the advent of spring. Speaking of spring there is nothing like bouquets of multi-colored fragrant blooms. Ladies in olden days would order hats in keeping with the fashion of the day. They would specially order flowers to decorate the headgear with. Matching satin ribbons and trimmings were of course an absolute must.

The history of Easter bonnets goes way back. Long before women took to wearing hats they would make pretty wreaths with flowers and wear them on Easter. The idea was to celebrate spring and welcome new life. The wreath was not just an ordinary floral headgear but symbolic of the Universe, the Earth’s orbit around the sun and the ‘cycle of seasons’.

Original Valentine Presents For Your Girl

It’s the 12^th of February and you’ve been too busy to get your girl something special for Valentine’s Day. No problem! You have ample time to plan a day out and get her something original. Something that is not run of the mill; and is different from the stuff you’ve been gifting her all these years.

Book an entire day of Spa treatment at an expensive Spa club

Find a good spa close to your place of her work place. Book a day of rejuvenating massages and beauty treatment for her. Simply gift her with the voucher and ask her to be present for her very special pampering session on time.

Buy her a present

Diamonds are a woman’s best friend. Get her a ring or a pendant she can wear. In case you aren’t up for investing on expensive stuff get her a nice set of costume jewelry. No woman can resist the gesture!

Candlelit Dinner

End your day with a special candlelit dinner. Make sure you have a large bouquet of red roses on the table along with fragrant candles. Order her favorite cuisine and spend some quality time together.

So what are you waiting for plan your day and arrange a very special Valentine day gift for your girlfriend.

Handcrafted Valentine Gifts

Make this Valentine ’s Day special. No spending money on expensive presents instead put your heart to making a handmade present for that very special someone. To begin with get your hands on left over gift wrappers, discarded candle stands, glasses and bottles. A tube of glue, scissors, glitter, crayons, sketch pens and other art paraphernalia are of course an absolute must. You can even make use of left over newspapers. Stray satin ribbons are always welcome!

Heart wreath Frame

Tough and difficult as it may sound this craft is quite easy. Trace little hearts on pink paper. If you can get two or more shades of pink, even better! Cut out hearts is different sizes. Take a thick cardboard and trace a heart shape on it. Cut out a thick heart shaped frame. Pick up some unused gift wrapper and cover the frame. Once the glue dries arrange the pink colored hearts all around the heart shape frame. Take a nice picture of you and your boyfriend and keep it such that the entire thing looks like a photo frame. Take a chart paper and stick it over the picture on the back to keep the frame steady. Use a satin ribbon to make a hoop over the frame so your boyfriend can hand it on the wall. This definitely can be one of your choices for making handmade gifts for valentines day!

Valentine Day Carnivals In Europe

Europe is the cradle of Valentine’s Day celebrations. Saint Valentine initiated the movement in ancient Rome. Over the years the concept caught up with men and women across the world. The week preceding the feast is generally fair and carnival time in many European countries; not just for lovers but for people and children of all ages. We bring you a small list of carnivals that brighten up the February feast.

The Venice Carnival – The Grand Masquerade Ball

This famous event draws visitors from far and wide. The event begins on January 31^st every year and generally goes on till the 17^th of February. A great place to experience the true spirit of the feast! People and lovers unite to spread the Valentine day message. The ball venue happens to be a medieval Venetian Palace on the banks of the Grand Canal. The romantic ball has everything from a traditionally attired Casanova at the door to greet couples to charming music and great food. The Masquerade Ball is the highlight of the party.

The Great European Carnival

This annual event is organized in different parts of the globe. This year HongKong is where all the action is. The fun begins during yuletide, goes on through New Year and celebrates the spirit of Valentine in February. A great place to be with your family and friends!

Madeira Carnival

One of Portugal’s most famous carnivals, Madeira features two bright parades, fun, acrobatics, music, dance and more. The annual event is held in February and is one of the most colourful of its kind in Europe.

Favorite Valentines Day lyrics

What could be the best way to express love to a chosen one by singing a song for the person? If you are planning to sing a beautiful song for your dear on this Valentine then we have some of the most popular song lyrics for you.

“Valentine’s Day” by Linkin Park

My insides all turned to ash, so slow
And blew away as I collapsed, so cold
A black wind took them away, from sight
And held the darkness over day, that night

And the clouds above move closer
Looking so dissatisfied
But the heartless wind kept blowing, blowing
I used to be my own protection, but not now
Cause my path had lost direction, somehow
A black wind took you away, from sight
And held the darkness over day, that night

And the clouds above move closer
Looking so dissatisfied
And the ground below grew colder
As they put you down inside
But the heartless wind kept blowing, blowing

So now you’re gone, and I was wrong
I never knew what it was like, to be alone

On a Valentine’s Day, on a Valentine’s Day
On a Valentine’s Day, on a Valentine’s Day
On a Valentine’s Day, on a Valentine’s Day
(I used to be my own protection, but not now)
On a Valentine’s Day, on a Valentine’s Day
(Cause my mind has lost direction, somehow)
On a Valentine’s Day, on a Valentine’s Day
(I used to be my own protection, but not now)
On a Valentine’s Day, on a Valentine’s Day
(Cause my mind has lost direction, somehow)

Valentine’s Day by Bruce Springsteen

I’m driving a big lazy car rushin’ up the highway in the dark
I got one hand steady on the wheel and one hand’s tremblin’ over my heart
It’s pounding baby like it’s gonna bust right on through
And it ain’t gonna stop till I’m alone again with you

A friend of mine became a father last night
When we spoke in his voice I could hear the light
Of the skies and the rivers, the timberwolf in the pines
And that great jukebox out on Route 39
They say he travels fastest who travels alone
But tonight I miss my girl, mister tonight I miss my home

Is it the sound of the leaves left blown by the wayside
That’s got me out here on this spooky old highway tonight
Is it the cry of the river with the moonlight shining through
That ain’t what scares me baby, what scares me is losing you

They say if you die in your dreams, you really die in your bed
But honey last night I dreamed my eyes rolled straight back in my head
And God’s light came shinin’ on through
I woke up in the darkness scared and breathin’ and born anew
It wasn’t the cold river bottom I felt rushing over me
It wasn’t the bitterness of a dream that didn’t come true
It wasn’t the wind in the grey fields I felt rushing through my arms
No no baby, baby it was you

So hold me close honey, say you’re forever mine
And tell me you’ll be my lonely valentine
Lonely valentine

Valentine’s Day by David Bowie

[Verse 1]
Valentine told me who’s to go
Feelings he’s treasured most of all
The teachers and the football star
It’s in his tiny face
It’s in his scrawny hand
Valentine told him so
He’s got something to say, it’s Valentine’s Day
The rhythm of the crowd
Teddy and Judy down

[Chorus 1]
Valentine sees it all
He’s got something to say, it’s Valentine’s Day

[Verse 2]
Valentine told me how it feels
If all the world were under his heels
Or stumbling through the mall
It’s in his tiny face
It’s in his scrawny hand
Valentine knows it all
He’s got something to say, it’s Valentine’s Day

[Bridge]
(Yeah)
Valentine Valentine
(Yeah) (Woo) (Woo)
Valentine Valentine

[Verse 3]
It’s in his scrawny hand
It’s in his icy heart
It’s happening today
It’s in his scrawny hands
It’s in his icy heart
It’s happening today

Note: The above compositions have been a hit with a large number of people. They have also been ranked high by many music critics. They are definitely among the most favorite Valentine’s Day lyrics for many.