No Easter basket? No worries

Laura Kruse, Staff Writer

The Easter bunny is on his way, and the Easter eggs are ready to go. But when Easter eve arrives, do you have enough baskets -- and are they in decent shape?

I was No. 5 of seven children in my family, and my parents gave up trying to collect enough Easter baskets before I was around.

Instead, our Easter tradition was to make nests out of our jackets -- which the Easter Bunny then filled with candy. That also meant that we had to go through all of our goodies before we could go to church services on Easter Sunday, unless it was an unusually mild spring in Minnesota.

Of course, some families cling tightly to their traditional Easter baskets. If you're one of them, you don't have to buy a beautiful basket every time your family expands. Instead, you can make your own.Here are directions to make a simple Easter basket:You'll need:

One plastic pint-sized strawberry basket (you know, those green ones)

Colored paper or ribbon
A couple pipe cleaners
Easter grass or shredded paper


First, cut paper or ribbon into strips. Then weave it in and out of the holes in the strawberry basket. Tape down the ends on the inside. Keep weaving different colored strips of paper or ribbons until all the holes have been filled -- and until you're satisfied with the results.

Make a handle with the pipe cleaners by hooking them through holes on opposite edges of the basket. If desired, decorate the handle with leftover ribbons.

Finally, fill the completed basket with Easter grass or shredded paper to provide a cushion for Easter eggs and candy.