Easter is my absolute favorite holiday. I love the themes of rebirth, of starting again, and spring. As a Christian, the holiday is central to my faith and I love the season of Lent as well. As a mom, I love the activities that come with spring too.

As a steward of the Earth, I feel a little less excited about it every year. It seems that it has become another extreme consumer holiday. Most posts you can find about Easter baskets are about candy-free options, which basically lead to suggestions of all sorts of toys and other junk to fill baskets with. At the grocery store, I see big baskets filled with toys and wrapped in plastic all over the place. I even see the same meme every year where parents used giant umbrellas filled with toys instead of a basket.

What does all of this consumerism have to do with rebirth? With spring? With Jesus? What the heck is all of this?

Every holiday becoming a major consumer holiday only leads to more excessive plastic waste, more shipping over long distances (those toys are not being made ethically or locally), and more destructive consuming-obsessed attitudes from our kids.

Do we really want them to think that celebrating just means receiving? No matter what the cost to the planet or other people? If you are a Christian, how do you balance that kind of attitude with the actual teaching of Jesus. If you are celebrating the spring, the reawakening of our planet, why would you want to destroy it?

You can still celebrate Easter with your family without being so destructive to the planet. There are so many options out there, so you really can avoid any plastic waste or overconsumer nonsense. You can even pull it off without candy if that is your deal!

This post uses Amazon affiliate links, but I highly recommend you buy as little from Amazon as possible. Shopping from secondhand and locally-ow

So let's get to it.

For the Basket

Every year those vinyl, plasticky baskets show up in stores. Skip them. Instead, your best bet is either to use a basket that you already own OR go to your local secondhand stores! You will be amazed at just how many options they have and you can save all sorts of money. You can always spray paint them (just don't do it the night before), so look for form not color.

I bought our baskets from Goodwill for about a dollar each, and they are all beautiful. Buying things used creates less waste and keeps perfectly good items out of landfills.

After that, the key is to reuse. Our kids will always have the same basket for their baskets. At some point this will probably give up the plot for them, but I think it is worth it in the end.

For the Grass

Oh plastic Easter grass. When you think about it, you are basically the plastic bags of holidays. No one needs you. If we all only make one change to our approach to Easter this year, let's STOP buying this environmental blight disguised as pastel sweetness. Lucky for all of us, lots of paper options exist.

My best advice? Make it yourself! Start with your recycled paper file or save up construction paper scraps. I am IN LOVE with this post on how to make your own from Compost and Cava, but it doesn't even have to be that complicated. Roll/fold the paper into tubes and then cut thin strands. That's it.

You could also think about reusable fabric options- I have seen suggestions for yarn or ribbon scraps. For something cleaner (and perfect for really little ones), you could also use playscarves in the bottom of the basket. You could reuse them every year and use them as toys!

Another great option? Use last year's grass! From here on, but your Easter grass in a bag so you can reuse it. Unless something got on it, most grass can last quite a few years.

You have a couple of options if you want to buy as well:

Eco-Grass- Crinkle Cut, Recycled, Made in the USA- 3 1.25 oz bags- 12.99 (and prime if you procrastinate). I don't love the plastic bag, but worst case scenario it looks like it can be reused to hold the grass between Easters.

Crinkle-Cut Kraft Paper - There are lots of options for this out there. I would check how it is made and the packaging before choosing, but I think this would also look pretty earthy and sophisticated.

For Eco-Friendly Basket Treats

My biggest advice is to keep your baskets small and simple as possible. Make the focus finding the basket vs. receiving a bunch of gifts. Honestly, we mostly do candy, some seeds, and some oranges. I would rather have a little bit of consumable gifts than to go crazy filling our house with more stuff.

 I do not give any toys or anything like that, because I don't think it fits with the holiday and it is deeply important to me that my kids do not conflate celebrating and receiving. But I do have a few ideas in that vein, in case that fits your style or circumstance better.

Everybody has their own style, and you can be eco-friendly and do what works for you. No one should take all of this advice, but hopefully an idea or two will click with you. Here is my list of ideas.

Things to Eat

Local Candy - The best options are local- unwrapped or wrapped in tin foil. We still order our Easter candy from my hometown chocolate-makers. Avoid all Nestle and big brand plastic terribleness. Here's our list of local and ethical candy.

Bulk Bin Candy- Check bulk bins at your grocery and candy stores before you try anything else. You avoid packaging if you can come with your own bags, support local businesses, and get some really different stuff.

Yogurt-Covered Pretzels- Look like candy, but a little healthier and you can find them in most bulk bins.

Chocolate-Covered Raisins or Nuts- More gems from the bulk section. Dried fruit could work well too!

Oranges- You can fill a bunch of space by adding some oranges or other fruit. To make it more festive, you can draw on them with sharpies.

Baked Goods- Make cookies or muffins or carrot cake. You can control the sugar content, and your kids still get a treat in their basket.

Trail Mix- Another simple one you can make, use reusable bags to package, and fill baskets with! Our kids think it is a treat as long as there are like 3 M and M's in the mix.

Easter Eggs

Eggs- If you aren't vegan, the lowest impact egg you can get is just regular, local eggs! Try to find them as locally as possible to minimize your negative impact. To do even more good, you can dye them naturally (here is a good lesson on how to do it, but you can find many more on Pinterest). Eco art supplies has an egg-dying kit as well.  If no one actually likes eating the eggs, you can cut down on waste more by blowing the egg yolks out and using the same eggs for multiple years.

Wood Eggs- If you want to avoid plastic, but do something reusable, wood eggs might be a great option! You can even learn together about religious and cultural traditions where they paint the eggs with elaborate (and gorgeous) designs. You can find wood eggs that will open, but unless you have something in mind, solid wood may work fine too.

Plastic Eggs- The best bet for plastic eggs is to find them secondhand. Sometimes just asking your friends and neighbors (or trying Buy Nothing or thrift stores) can land you enough eggs to make things work. This is just the kind of plastic that gets thrown away WAY more often than it should, so you can keep something out of landfills by offering to reuse them.

If you can't track enough down that way, check out Eco-Eggs. They are made in the US of bioplastic, and they aren't perfect, but at least they are plant-based so they will break down eventually.

Things for Spring

Seeds- My friend made adorable paper packets for them last year that were totally inspiring and our kids loved them. You could go crazy with decorated packets, but even simple ones can be really sweet. Any mix of things you can grow together will be a huge success.

Bubbles- My trick to bubbles is to steal the little bottles of them at weddings. I leave them in a bag in my art supplies and pull them out as needed. My best other suggestion is to save your empties and just make refill bubbles.

Gardening Tools- Shovels, gloves, and a watering can might make a really sweet gift that encourages your little one to get involved with the growing process. We haven't had great luck finding these tools that are made locally, but you might have good luck finding some of the things (the watering can for sure) in secondhand shops.

Jump Rope- Green Toys has a sweet and simple one.

Things for Creating

Crayons- We love melting our crayon nubbins into fun new shapes for our kids to use. If you don't have enough, you could ask neighbors to save their broken crayons for you. We bought silicon molds (ours are lego and letters, but you could choose anything), melt them at 150 degrees for 15 minutes, and have brand new funky crayons that our kids love.

If this isn't in the cards for you this year, you could also try these crayons from eco-kids or these recycled crayons in the shape of stars.

Little Notebooks- Little books, like these ones from Field Notes or Decomposition Books can be super fun for little kids who are ready to get their thoughts or pictures on paper.

Playdough- You can make your own with things in your house (this Martha Stewart recipe seems to be the best place to start), and homemade playdough smells delicious.

Secondhand Toys or Books- Like I said, this is outside of my comfort zone, because I really think the holiday doesn't require gift giving. But if you do want to go that route, check your local thrift shops! You can find Hot Wheels, puzzles, and all sorts of small toy filler there. This is how we fill our stockings for a tiny amount of money, and we are saving toys from landfills.

If you want something fresh, I recommend Green Toys, Maple Landmark, or Bears for Humanity. But seriously, check secondhand! Nothing new can come close to the same positive impact on the planet.



What is your favorite eco-friendly Easter basket filler? What's your favorite Easter tradition?

Easter is coming! This is my favorite holiday of the year, so I could not be more excited. I love the meaning of it, I love Spring, and I really love a good egg hunt.

Though I love the holiday itself, this is a season that breaks my heart a little more each year. It has become as commodified and commercialized as everything else, and I really hate it. I am a Christian, this is my most deeply felt and beloved holiday, and I really don't get how the resurrection of Jesus is supposed to help people sell Paw Patrol goods or a kiddie pool. But people buy it.

With a broader cultural lens, I can see that Easter's roots in pagan traditions of Spring beginning can open the door to more secular celebrations of rebirth and spring. Even if that is the tradition you are really connecting with, does it really justify a purchasing spree?

Has the Easter bunny just become another Santa Claus? Schlepping all the stuff your kids want? How is this poor rabbit supposed carry all this junk? All this stuff is making us miserable, steals our money and sanity (not to mention time), and it isn't even good for our kids. What are we doing?

This is especially tragic when you think about how much damage our current way of living is causing the Earth and our bodies. If you believe that God made these things, why would you want to pollute them with wasteful plastic junk? Even if you don't, it's a tough thing to be ok with. Our planet is drowning in plastic, and we are failing at being stewards of everything around us. We have bought into the sick capitalist lie that what we want is more important than anything else. If our kids want toys, we oblige them, who cares if the worker who made it was mistreated or the plastic it is packaged in destroys the environment.

So I have a bold proposition for you. Stop treating Easter as a shopping holiday.

It doesn't have to be austere or boring, but you can celebrate Easter without spending tons of money or giving a bunch of unnecessary gifts. Really. You can have the best celebration you have ever had without one cartoon character getting involved.

In other words, I am giving you a free pass to skip all this stuff. You aren't required to buy up the Easter aisle. Your kid does not need a stuffed bunny or Paw Patrol brand Easter eggs or any of that junk. That's not what they will remember anyway.

Be free! Save your money and do some things you actually enjoy instead.

 Here are some ideas of traditions to try if you aren't sure where to start.

Switch Up the Easter Basket

You don't have to do an Easter basket at all, but if you are into it (I know I am) it can still be simple and focused on the experience. The Easter Basket is now associated with all sorts of things- beach toys! Characters! 6 tons of candy! Keeping it simple can be really satisfying, save all sorts of time, and you will be surprised how psyched your kids still are.

If you want a bunch of ideas on ways to simplify your Easter baskets, check out this post. I have tons of them.

We fill our (thrifted) Easter baskets with a few things:

- Candy. We try to only buy things wrapped in foil, not plastic. Bulk sections in grocery stores can be particularly helpful in doing this.
- Fruit. A few mandarin oranges are perfect filler, and if you are feeling ambitious, you can decorate it.
- Seeds. Why not go plant some things!? Springy and fun. We will talk more about this later.
- Paper Grass. Skip the plastic. Shred some paper you already have! It's so easy! Fold paper (used construction or printer) like an accordion and snip.

It's up to you how much to involve your kids in the making of the baskets (it is fun to make the grass with them), but no matter what, you can do a basket hunt with them! You can do it with clues, like a treasure hunt. You can make little bunny prints for them to chase.

Dying Eggs

Dying eggs is a classic holiday tradition (though it may not appeal if you are a vegan family). Last year, we got the eggs from the chickens in my mom's backyard, so it couldn't have been more local. And those chickens could not be more free-range- they are the tyrant kings and queens of her house.

It doesn't take a lot to make this a fun activity- just some mugs and some eggs to color! When I was a kid, we did those box kits. Now, I can see that is a racket. Food coloring and white vinegar works exactly as well (and you can use white crayons to add designs if you want to get fancy).

Even better? Experiment with using natural food coloring from things like beets and blueberries. You can read all about how to do it on this blog from Country Living. It makes for a fun experiment, and you cut way down on waste. This is my goal for this year.

from A Little Pinch of Perfect

Get Creative

There are so many Raster crafts out there, and some of them use materials you certainly have at home. I especially love egg decorating crafts for kids who don't or can't eat eggs. Rather than buying a craft kit, you can use what you have at home.

My favorite are these salt dough ornaments from The Best Ideas for Kids; you can make the salt dough yourself, and everyone could decorate one each year to start a collection.

I am also obsessed with these doily eggs from A Little Pinch of Perfect. Don't these just look gorgeous? It's just markers and craft paper! And lots of us have random doilies sitting about (I know I have a handful, and I don't even know where they came from). If you want something simpler, these crayon and watercolor eggs from Rhythms of Play look like as easy collaboration if you have really little kids.

I also think these tin foil eggs from I Heart Crafty Things, because you may have some tin foil around already. They really look pretty cool!

Also, this is totally random, but these No Sew Sock Bunnies from Home and Gardening Ideas are the cutest thing I have ever seen. I am trying to guess how many more years we have to go before my kids can do this one!

Hunt for Eggs

Hunting for eggs is so much fun, and you can do twists on it for basically any age. I grew up hunting for empty plastic eggs full of candy, but last year my toddler just hunted for the actual eggs we had colored, and it was so sweet. You can color the eggs, hunt for them, and eat them, so there is nearly no waste involved.

Neighborhood egg hunts can be really fun too, depending on your child's feelings about crowds. They also tend to be over in about 4 minutes, so not great if you aren't timely. The eggs in these hunts are usually reused year after year.

Lastly, if you want to do a plastic egg hunt (maybe because you are vegan), you still shouldn't buy the eggs new. They have them at consignment stores sometimes, you can definitely ask your neighbors for them on Buy Nothing, or you can even borrow them from others. If you really need to buy some, get these plant-based eggs that can be reused and then composted.

Start Growing

Easter is a perfect time to appreciate things that grow! You can start some flowers or herbs in pots, or you can plant some flowers right into the ground (depending on the climate you are working with). I love planting with my kids. A few bucks in seeds can bring you joy (and food and pollinator support etc) for months. You could also ask around for starters from friends and neighbors in your Buy Nothing Group.

from Crafty Morning

Make Easter Treats

It doesn't matter what you make, but making treats for Easter can be a great tradition to spend time together. Your own family may already have food traditions for this holiday, share making them with your kiddos! And if not, set your own traditions!

My favorite are these rice krispy chicks from Crafty Morning, which are so cute and a little bit silly. I like her nests as well. Another simple option is to make Easter egg sugar cookies to decorate like these ones from Oh So Busy Mum.

I have also read a lot about doing Easter bread, and you could make your own loaves. I also had no idea, but Polish tradition has a lamb cake, where you make a cake shaped like a lamb (how sweet... and also weird?). There are so many choices out there, and I find if I turn music on and let them do the pouring and mixing, my kids are so happy with time baking together.

Go Fly a Kite

Such a spring activity, and so much fun! I am terrible at kites, and tend to get whacked in the face a lot, but I still have a great time. If you don't have a kite, maybe ask around to neighbors before buying one. Someone in your Buy Nothing group would probably be happy to lend you theirs for a day or two. J

Make a Bird Feeder

If you have older kids, making a bird feeder or bird house could be a fun way to welcome the spring (and the feathered friends that come with it). Simple cookie cutter ones are my favorite, but this post also has some really cool ideas if you want to try something more complicated!

Just Go Outside

Now that the air is getting warmer and there are so many things coming alive, an Easter Walk sounds like the perfect tradition. Just being outside can feel spiritual and reflective in the Spring, and that time together really counters the busy-ness that can take over our lives and holidays. Have a picnic. Do more egg hunts. Plant flowers. Play Hide and Seek.

It doesn't really matter what you do, just leave the stuff behind and spend some time together. Amazing things will happen.

Participate in Holy Week

Even if you are a light attender, this is a great week to plug back into your church. Often churches have fun events going on after church on Easter Sunday as well, so maybe plan your Easter dinner a little later.

Easter can be a perfect moment to refocus on your family's spiritual connections, and step away from our addiction to consumption. We blame all sorts of other things, but our constant purchases pull us further away from our stated values daily, without us even noticing. We mistreat the poor by ignoring the people who make our stuff in slave labor and sweatshops, we mistreat animals by continuing to buy meat and eggs farmed in horrific conditions, and we mistreat the Earth by flooding it with our pointless plastic garbage. We go directly against the Word of God by how we spend our money.

This is no example to set for our kids. But give yourself grace, that mainstream force is hard to push against, and all of these truths are so hard to face.

You can give your kids a gift by helping them break this cycle early, and to stop connecting celebrating and shopping.

If you want to celebrate Jesus this Easter, you can start by breaking up with this endless cycle of shopping and desire. Simplest way to do this? Just be with other Christians and don't buy anything. Use your church library to find cool Lent or Easter books (my favorite is the Jesus Storybook Bible). Do a cool craft like these resurrection gardens or cross paintings or palm leaf crosses, but do it together with your church!

We can't control how the capitalist machine commodifies religious holidays, but we can choose to not participate. If they don't make all that much money off of it, they will stop doing it.


Ok, that got a bit heavy at the end, but this is a holiday about joy! What are the traditions your family shares at this time of year?

Every week we are exploring vegetarian meals for meat eaters. Cooking with seasonal vegetables can seem really limiting at first, but the possibilities are endless. And it is worth it. Just cutting one day of meat eating out of our diet can keep thousands of pounds of CO2 out of the atmosphere a year. No seriously, it's that big a deal. Plus, it's a great opportunity to have some new adventures and try new things. Just another way to take care of the planet AND make life a little bit better!


When I think Easter, I think ham and scalloped potatoes. And at my most flexitarian, I can never quite give up ham. Still on this day, I think it matters more than ever to question how we are doing as stewards of the Earth and maybe take it easier on meat.

So... these are my best ideas for Easter feasts. Even if you can't skip the ham, do half of one and serve some of these amazing dishes with it.

from Delish Knowledge

Ok, this is genius, just hear me out. Make Gnocchi. They are a fun family activity. Impressive but actually pretty easy. And best of all, they look like little Easter eggs. Find one that works for you, but this awesome recipe from Delish Knowledge uses veggies that are in season like asparagus. But seriously, friend, I think I discovered an epic secret. Gnocchi is Easter food.

from Proud Italian Cook

Just want to celebrate spring? This dish of bright, green, and gorgeous spring vegetables from Proud Italian Cook looks totally delicious. Doesn't it look like fresh green grass in the spring?

from The Recipe Critic

On the day of the Easter Bunny, you clearly need carrots. So many great roasted carrot recipes out there, but this one from The Recipe Critic looks delicious. Like sending it to my husband right now delicious. Just the kind of sleeper hit everyone is still talking about next Easter.

from Super Golden Bakes

For another spring flavor, it doesn't get much better than beets, apples, and goat cheese. This tart recipe from Super Golden Bakes looks bright and springy. And you can't fight with the wonderfulness of beets.

from half-baked harvest

Ok, one last tart from half-baked harvest. Love the combination of tomatoes and cheddar. Not as seasonal, but it might be a perfect combo for your house.



Want more vegetarian recipes to try? Awesome! Adding more meatless meals to your diet is such a fun challenge and you can discover so many things you like. Check out this page for all of the Meatless Monday Recipe Round Ups!

I want to keep highlighting amazing makers in the US, and I feel like my Etsy links can get caught in the more mainstream shuffle. So starting a series to focus on the greatest stuff we have found. 

from MulberryMarketDesigns

TwineandBraids (New Jersey)- When I lived in Euope, I loved the Easter markets and the beautiful eggs you could find there. The decorated egg has a different meaning in the US but I love that you can still find decorated eggs like these.
ClassicNativities (Maine) How cool is this? I have never seen decorations like this before, but it so perfectly mirrors the nativity scene and just seems really special.

LifeandWool (Washington) makes these felted eggs that are so beautiful but also mighty costly. You would have to be fancy, but they do feel like treasures.

I love Easter. This amazing holiday has mostly evaded commercial co-optation, so I don't have to spend the whole month addressing how to buy better for it, but many of us do still get a visit from the Easter Bunny, and honestly, I think that rabbit can do better. These last few years, the Easter basket has grown from treats into another Christmas, filling huge vessels with toys, gifts, and all sorts of plastic-wrapped treats. It feels out of control, but we can get it back.

 I have a few ideas and suggestions of how to honor this day better by showing more respect to God's Earth and the people he has made by creating less waste, buying less, and supporting our own communities and people.

 This may seem a little early, but with some planning, you can avoid the last minute trip to Walmart and do your Easter basket shopping in more positive ways. Let's get to it!

1. Cut your Old Grass

Oh plastic Easter grass. When you think about it, you are basically the plastic bags of holidays. No one needs you. If we all only make one change to our approach to Easter this year, let's STOP buying this environmental blight disguised as pastel sweetness. Lucky for all of us, lots of recycled paper options exist.

I am trying to get a basis for plastic grass, so you can weigh your options, but this plastic grass was seven dollars for one bag. Some way better options:

Make your own. Do you have a shredder? Just recycle paper you already have to make grass? I am IN LOVE with this post on how to make your own from Compost and Cava.

from Amazon

Eco-Grass- Crinkle Cut, Recycled, Made in the USA- 3 1.25 oz bags- 12.99 (and prime if you procrastinate)

Hearthsong- Green Easter Grass, shredded paper- Less clear where it is made, and if you can get recycled paper, why get virgin paper (looking at you, paper towels), but it's affordable and way better than plastic- 15.75

from Amazon

Wrappily- Eco Shred Recycled Paper, Made in America (Wrappily is a great company, by the way)- 1 6 oz bag- 9.55

Not eco-friendly enough? You overachiever, you! You can actually get real Easter grass from companies like Vermont Hay Company. So guaranteed biodegradable! I honestly didn't even know it was a thing, so yay world, you are strange and wonderful.

 1 1/2. And while we are at it, skip the grocery store plastic baskets! 

If you don't already have something to reuse, check consignment stores for baskets. Even look for small wood or wicker ones in stores. You can always spray paint them (just don't do it the night before), so look for form not color. I bought our baskets from Goodwill for about a dollar each, and they are all beautiful. Buying things used creates less waste and keeps perfectly good items out of landfills.

If you want something fancier, think about a basket made of wicker or cloth that will last you many many years. Also, really think about the size. Stores keep pushing bigger and bigger baskets, but will your family know the difference? Buying less (and smaller) is one of the best ways to go green. Pom Pom Fringe (in Maine) makes gorgeous braided baskets. These seagrass belly baskets would also make a beautiful Easter basket.

No matter what, avoiding a plastic basket is a perfectly great baby step to being a good steward this holiday.

2. Plant your Seeds

 Rather than just putting candy in the basket (or worse yet, filling it with toys and junk), think about using Easter as an opportunity to grow something yourself. Put some seed packets into the basket and try an herb garden or some carrots for the Easter bunny! It might be a special new spin or tradition, and it can also teach a lot about how things grow.

Not wanting to overload your child with candy certainly makes plenty of sense, but overloading with toys is not a huge improvement. Shifts like this can help reframe the day.

3. Get Creatively Eggy

 I know in my family bought one of those egg kits every year, and it was always kind of fun to get the sparkly one or the one with stickers etc. But you know what we always ended up using most? Food coloring in our regular mugs. Sometimes drawing with crayons is good as well (those poor white ones are always underused anyway). Rather than buying one of those boxes, which usually come with the plastic cups or plastic spoons, use what you already have in your cupboard (my mother in law adds a teeny bit of vinegar that turns out to really give the eggs some vavoom) and a little creativity. If you need more dye, at least you know you can use food coloring later. I love this color guide to make any color you want from food coloring. Want more creative ideas? Check out this blog!

If you want to use even more natural ingredients, Pinterest has lots of great suggestions for natural dyes. These ones are vibrant, and these are really sophisticated. This link also has natural dyes way down at the bottom. I love these ideas, and it gives me hope we can cut out one thing we 100% don't need!

You want to do an egg hunt? Me too, they are my favorite. Those plastic eggs are pretty cheap, so it feels like nothing to pick some up at the store, but they actually do come with a high cost. Most aren't recyclable, so that waste will live on past anyone participating in that egg hunt. You know that one that you never tracked down? It will be there forever. So what do you do? Two great options that beat buying new plastic eggs-


-JUST USE EGGS. Last year, we just colored eggs one day and hid them the next. I get the danger in leaving eggs out in the yard, but if you aren't hiding too many eggs, don't overcomplicate things.

-Use old ones! My Nana does an egg hunt every year, and the eggs the kids find now are some of the same eggs we used years ago. MANY years ago (when did we get old?). So use the ones you already have, and if you don't have any, think about reaching out and asking your Facebook friends or Buy Nothing group. Even check out your consignment stores! Especially if you aren't going to do it on the actual day. You can use them and have them back easily. You could even check consignment stores.

- Buy bioplastic eggs.   Eco eggs are made in the United States out of bio-plastic that is 100% compostable.  Awesome!  These eco-friendly eggs are too, though they seem to come in more regular plastic packaging.  I am curious what happens to that one egg no one can find, but otherwise, I think this is a genius idea that is still plenty affordable. All the reviews are glowing as well, describing them as sturdier than regular plastic eggs. If you can't find ones to use already, please buy these ones.

-Buy wood eggs. Alright, to be honest I think you would have to be really fancy to use wood eggs for a hunt, but these ones from RVANaturals might make a beautiful decoration or craft project for everyone to share?

4. Cut the Gifts (it's not Christmas, for Goodness Sake)

This picture is floating around facebook and haunting my dreams forever. Because nothing says easter like a kiddie pool and baseball bat. You all remember the classic Easter story where Jesus leaves the tomb and invites everyone over for a pool party? Yeah, me either. If this is your Easter dream, I am sorry but you have lost the plot. You aren't doing your kids any favors either.

This honestly was a pet peeve of mine for a long time, but in the face of the effects of our over-consumption (climate change, dirty water, the gross mistreatment of other human beings), turning the most holy of holidays into a big gift-giving to do really burns my toast. I think a little bit of candy is plenty. I don't think video games or dolls or anything in this atrocity make any sense within the context of the holiday, and it is wildly wasteful to turn it into a large gifting event when a really fun egg hunt does the trick.

Don't want to load your kid up with candy? I am right there with you. Put a few oranges in (you could decorate them), some seeds or seed bombs, and call it a day. Feel empowered to skip gifts, because it is a bizarre expectation, and our kids don't need every holiday to just be about receiving.

 Don't buy in to advertisers' suggestion that what your child wants is one of those giant, toy-filled, plastic-wrapped balls of nonsense. Be free, eat a little chocolate, and keep the day about the glorious return of Jesus Christ and not about yet another wishlist and purchase. It's just not that day, and I feel like it's a dirty anti-religious trick to make the day all about what you got. Booo. Try again, Earthlings! You cannot co-opt this beautiful day!

5. Get your Candy Local (and Made in America)

Around Christmas, I posted a giant list of American-Made chocolates. USA Love List (a blog we LOVE here) has a list of American-made Easter candy as well. Take a second, and check that blog- peeps, Jelly Bellies, and other jelly beans are all made here. You have good options! With a little bit of research, a trip to a local candy store, and a stop at costco or a local grocer for peeps, and you have filled your baskets. No need to head off to Walmart or Kmart and buy plastic bags filled some candy made who knows where. You can do this.

 Need a little filler? What about baking a treat yourself?!? I bet you can even do All-American baskets without too much challenge or effort.

Another way to make your candy greener is to get more candy wrapped in foil and less wrapped in plastic. Local chocolates tend to come wrapped in foil or paper more, where as Hershey's does mostly plastic. Another easy switch!



So encouraged by this season and this holiday every year. Do you have any ideas on how to green Easter even more? Check out these posts from The Good Life with Amy French and A Green and Rosie Life for even more eco ideas for this Easter. And let me know what you do that works for your family!

I want to keep highlighting amazing makers in the US, and I feel like my Etsy links can get caught in the more mainstream shuffle. So starting a series to focus on the greatest stuff we have found.

It's here. Fat Tuesday! The last day before Lent commitments begin. The day I eat chocolate like its going out of style, because for me, it really is.  For tons of Christians, Catholic and otherwise, Lent is a time to cut out and re-assess bad habits. It forces us out of our normal habits, so we turn less to our regular comforts and (hopefully) more to God.

Fat Tuesday is for savoring chocolate and debating what exactly we are giving up anyway. It can be easy to let it turn into a spiritually-driven diet plan, but I want it to be more than that.

There are a lot of takes on Lent. I try to think of it as a way to step away from something that keeps me from connecting from God. Taking a behavior that builds distance from God and replacing it with something that brings us closer to Him. Watch less TV, read more Bible. Don't use food as a comfort, seek out community instead. Stop throwing garbage at the neighbors, plant more flowers. You get the idea.

So this is the perfect time to face down some of the habits we have all let build up, which society sees as normal, but which take our actions and our thoughts away from Him every day.

Our stuff.

Right now, our culture thrives on a consumerism that is out of control. We shop. We eat. We look for "deals" on shopping and eating. We buy bigger houses to fill with all of the stuff we are buying. We watch TV about stuff. We talk about stuff. Our life has a lot of stuff.

You might be thinking- "B, that's not me. I am not materialistic. One trip to the store for what I need, and I am done. I don't think about it."

Sorry, friend. That's not great either.

 Every single decision we make and purchase we spend on has moral consequences and a spiritual toll.

If your stuff was made by someone treated like a slave or risking their life for your junk, that comes at a spiritual cost. If it sits collecting dust or is quickly treated as waste, that comes with a spiritual cost. If your stuff creates pollution, poisons land or water, or needlessly strips the Earth of resources, that comes at a spiritual cost.

In other words, many of the decisions we make every time we shop can hurt our effectiveness as stewards of this Earth. This is the first task God gave humans. This Earth is a gift he gave us, and it is our duty as Christians to take care of it, to be the best stewards we can be.

If we shop without thinking, we risk failing at our jobs as stewards and making destruction where God created beauty.

 I am not suggesting we all try to set up our own Eden's without electric or stores (I am not naked romping through the woods any time soon). But it is possible to make almost every decision, from how we eat to where we shop to what we wear on our feet with our task as stewards in mind. It's a big task, but Lent is the perfect time to start.

Here are some ideas of totally different, but transformative ways to approach Lent this year. These are meant to help you brainstorm something that will work to you and will help you consider a habit you know is keeping you from being a good steward. Pick something that you can actually do, and that you think you can learn something from.

Give Some Things Up

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me" Matthew 25: 35-36

You already have way more than you need, and someone else could use what you have. Why not give something up literally this Lent? Here are a few ideas.

40 Bags in 40 Days- This challenge is getting all kinds of attention. Take 40 vessels and fill them, cutting out the clutter. At the end, donate what you collected. Awesome, easy, and a great way to help others.

Donate 40 Items for Lent- Pick a room.  Everyday, pick out something in your house that you can give. Kitchen sstuff or bedroom pieces can be put to good use by someone who will love it.

Seek Out a Particular Charity and Collect for Them- Have a lot of coats and shoes? Why not check in with a nearby homeless shelter? And ask friends to join in!

Join or Start a Buy Nothing- Make giving a part of your regular daily routine. Read up on this coolness and finally take the leap.

Buy Less

"Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves" Matthew 21:12

Jesus made it very clear that spiritual spaces and business should not mix. If we want to make more room in our lives for Him, chasing out our own shopping might not be a bad place to start.

Only Buy Groceries and Gas- Just. Don't. Buy. Anything. Could you just stop shopping for forty days? Give yourself a couple of grace passes for emergencies, but otherwise, just stop.

Buy One Item a Week. And Make it All Ethical- You have 1 hour to make 100 decisions. Or you have 1 hour to make 1. It's clear which decision will be better made. Slow your decision-making down so much that you an focus on finding the most responsible choice rather than just the one you like the most.

Stay Off Your Shopping Sites- Could you avoid Amazon for 40 days? How about Zulily. You know where you browse and spend. Quit it for a minute and see how it feels.

Buy Less Meat and Eat Less Meat- Red meat, especially beef, is a huge culprit in damaging the environment. Catholics have been doing Meatless Monday on Fridays for a long time. Maybe it's time to join in or even step it up?

Reuse and Recycle

Give Up One Plastic Item- It becomes more and more clear that plastic is a huge enemy to our bodies and environment. If you usually drink your water out of plastic bottles, invest in a glass reusable bottle and only use it! At first it will be a pain, but before you know it, it will feel normal.

Don't Buy Food with Plastic Packaging- Could you go 40 days without buying one piece of food wrapped in plastic? This one is TOUGH, but if you are feeling brave, you could do all kinds of good, eat way healthier, AND learn so much. You'd have to do without fruit loops. That's the trade off.

Say No to Straws- Plastic one time use straws are terrible for the environment. Say no to every straw for the whole of Lent. Before you know it, you will have picked up another good stewardship habit!

Finally Give up those Plastic Bags- It's time, friend.

Compost- If you aren't composting, consider trying for Lent.



I love Lent, and I hope you have a season to remember an reconnect. I will let you know what exactly we decide to do in about 12 hours when we finally decide.what are you giving up for Lent?

I love Lent. Ash Wednesday kicks off one of my favorite seasons every year, not only because it leads to a glorious reunion with chocolate weeks later, but because it really offers so much spiritual focus, and it always reminds me that being a Christian is a full time gig, so everything we do has real spiritual effects.

Every year, the Boy and I give up our favorite treats- chocolate for me and fried food for him (sometimes with other things added to the forbidden food list). We also try to increase our discipline in going to church, because it can be easy to slip out of the habit when you are super shy, and talking to strangers early in the morning is part of the deal. It becomes a really wonderful time that we complain about every step of the way.

from Mary Beth Johann's facebook page

Today, a picture floated around on Facebook suggesting that rather than giving something up abstractly, we could all physically give something away every day during Lent. I LOVE THIS IDEA. So genius! This suggests clothing specifically, but it makes another way to self-assess the areas in life where you hold on to things that don't do you any good (kind of like a hoard of chocolate, I carefully store in my belly).

Not only does that cut into the capitalist narratives of ownership that I firmly believe get in the way of our being good Christians, but it also feeds gifting and secondhand economies that help us re-use rather than fill the world with even more stuff. I marvel at these ideas, where generosity towards others and good stewardship collide, and I genuinely feel blessed about the encouragement that this is so often the case. How cool that when we treat each other with kindness, we treat the world God gave us better as well!

So this made me wonder, what other things could we give up for Lent to be better Stewards? These are the best ideas I could think of.