Easter Baskets for teenagers?

[mazajo]

There's a thread in another section here about what people are putting in their LO's Easter baskets and I was wondering about teenagers specifically. I got an Easter basket until I left home, and I plan to keep giving them to my teenagers too. But it's getting hard to think of what to put in them! For the little kids I always did a little candy and some outside toys like sidewalk chalk and bubbles, maybe a stuffed animal and a coloring book. But obviously my teens are too old for that, except the candy of course. When I was a teen I always got a season's pass to a local amusement park in my basket but I can't afford to do that, unfortunately.

So who else gives their teen an Easter basket and what do you put in it? Especially teen boys, I think girls would be easier.

[talk de jour]

One year I got candy (good candy) and a CD! That was good.

Maybe sports related equipment (a mitt, ball, paintball supplies, etc), if he plays sports? A video game, if that's in the budget?

[talk de jour]

Oh, more ideas. Movie pass? Small gift certificate to his favorite store? DVD?

[Oriole]

I has been doing easter basket for dsd for years now.

Here is what I plan for her this year:

* A note to say how much I love her
* A book (she likes romance lately, so I'll look for that)
* Skittles (she loves those)
* Mints (she loves those too)
* Bras, panties, socks
* A KinderEgg
* Stickers (she might be 16 by the time Easter rolls around, but she still loves those)
* Chopstick


Depending on finances:

* A video she likes
* Spring pj's
* Gift certificate to get her nails done
* Some cutesy thing for her i-pod

[Sk8ermaiden]

My mom would buy me books, nice art supplies, maybe a CD, and socks (colorful fun ones). Easter was fun times in my family.

[mazajo]

Very good ideas, thank you, keep them coming!

And what is a KinderEgg, btw?

[enkmom]

For my son, I have done I-tunes cards, Axe, tennis balls, a magazine he might like, fun boxers, socks, McDonald's gift certificates (I know), the mechanical pencils he likes, a paperback book, etc. Sometimes a new t-shirt or pair of shorts. With candy, I try to keep the price of each easter basket to $30.

I always buy my daughter flip-flops for her basket, but my son won't wear flips. Some guys do though, so there's another idea. They are 2 pair for $5 at Old Navy.

[Oriole]

Kinderegg

Oh, and DSD doesn't need any right now, but if she did, I sometimes get her favorite hair and makeup products. Something that we don't always buy, but that I know she likes.


Something else I forgot to put on the list, but am planning to get for the basket:

* Incense (they are cheap, and she loves them, but has to keep borrowing from me, I think she'd enjoy having her own)
* a magazine she likes


I don't plan on getting any this year, but something to consider:
* i-tune gift card, nail polish, earrings, bracelets


P.S. I also make one for her dad every year

[lolar2]

Note from the wikipedia article that Kinder Eggs cannot legally be sold in the US, so they are difficult or impossible to find.

[Oriole]

I am in the US, and we get them from a local Italian restaurant, I can't imagine them doing it illegally (?)

I have to admit, I don't know where else to get them, I don't think you can find them in stores easily.

[talk de jour]

Originally Posted by Oriole

I am in the US, and we get them from a local Italian restaurant, I can't imagine them doing it illegally (?)

I have to admit, I don't know where else to get them, I don't think you can find them in stores easily.

they can't be sold in the US, no child's food that includes non-food objects can.

[Oriole]

Originally Posted by talk de jour

they can't be sold in the US, no child's food that includes non-food objects can.

Can it be a state by state issue?

[talk de jour]

Originally Posted by Oriole

Can it be a state by state issue?

Not AFAIK -- I studied German as a schoolkid and my classes were way into German candy -- we were told the Kindereggs were verboten because of similar cases with Wonder Balls, etc.

It's possible, but unlikely.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by talk de jour

they can't be sold in the US, no child's food that includes non-food objects can.

What about Crackerjacks, or cereals with "prizes" in them?
What an odd law...

[lolar2]

Crackerjacks are fine; the concern is that a small child would take a bite of the Kinder Egg and try to swallow the toy inside it without seeing that there was a toy. It is an FDA regulation, so it is federal. So, Oriole, your Italian restaurant is breaking the law by selling them, but I won't tell anyone.

[BedHead]

My kids just get the candy. I never did start doing gifts for them at Easter, so they don't expect them now. They still ask for an Easter egg hunt every year

[Oriole]

Originally Posted by BedHead

My kids just get the candy. I never did start doing gifts for them at Easter, so they don't expect them now. They still ask for an Easter egg hunt every year

I really wish I could have done it with dsd.
We almost never had her for easter, and she did egg hunt at her moms, but that's okay, Easter basket turned into "our" tradition. She also helps me to put together little baskets for her brother and sister on mom's side.

[mazajo]

Easter egg hunts! When my teenage DSs were little we were all invited over to my friend's parents for Easter dinner. They had a traditional kids' Easter egg hunt and then they held one specifically for the adults. They used plastic eggs with cash in every single one- most had one dollar, but there were a few with more, I think the biggest was one egg with a twenty. It was so much fun!

[annethcz]

My kids aren't teens quite yet...

But they'll be getting
-sunglasses
-flipflops
-water squirter/ pool toys
-music CDs/ music for mp3 players
-and of course, candy

[Kirsten]

I agree that teen boys might be a more challenging demographic for the Easter basket... Hmmmm....

I'd look for:

book
magazine
cd
dvd
anything related to his hobbies
I remember getting cute undies and socks in baskets
a shirt?
gift cert for iTunes or a favorite store
keychain?
wallet?

I think a toiletry bag would make a cute "basket" for a teen boy if he didn't have one already. Filled with grass and some fun items.