I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ll be looking forward to this year’s Easter basket. (Yes, I am a fully grown adult, but my mom still puts together a basket for me every year.) It may look a bit different than your typical basket. In it, I usually find hair care items, makeup, gum, dollar store goodies, some candy, etc. I always love the practical little gifts I find in my basket every year. (Yes, it’s always the same basket. The “Easter Bunny” is very frugal.) It doesn’t take extravagance to make me smile on Easter, and I’m sure many people share the same sentiments.

While everyone celebrates Easter differently, there are fun things that nearly every kid, and perhaps adult, looks forward to when Easter rolls around. These things, for the most part, don’t take much preparation or money (if any at all). They simply require some experimenting and a desire to make Easter special. I’ve compiled for you some frugal takes on Easter traditions from around the web for your enjoyment. Take a look!

Easter Egg Tricks and Tips

• Firstly, you’re going to need to learn how to make perfect boiled eggs.
• Natural Dyeing Techniques: you don’t need dye or kits to color your Easter eggs. Try using fresh beets or cranberries for a pale red color or strong coffee for a beige or brown color.
• Dyeing Without a Kit: it couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is combine 1/2 cup of boiling water with 1 tsp vinegar and 10-20 drops of desired food coloring. Dip your eggs carefully into dye until they reach the color you’re aiming for and let eggs dry completely.

  You can also check out this link to learn how to make tie dyed eggs, marbleized eggs and even designer eggs.

• Frugal Egg Activities and Experiments: head here for all types of fun, scientific experiments and activities you can do with eggs during Easter and any other time.
• Rubber Band Eggs: this method uses rubber bands to easily make a tie-dyed or striped Easter eggs.
• Eggshell Candles: these are cute little decorations that you can use for your table for Easter dinner.
• Deviled Egg Chicks: these edible deviled Easter egg chicks may just be too cute to eat.
• Coloring Eggs: try a combination of dyeing and coloring eggs with a crayon to create interesting designs.

Easter Treats and Goodies

• 10 Things to Cook With Peeps:: do you usually find yourself with an excess of Peeps around Easter? Check out this great article from YumSugar that gives you several fun and creative ideas for Peeps including Peeps brownies and Peeps “sushi.”
• Make Your Own Marshmallow Peeps: create your own Peeps with 7 simple ingredients.
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs: no need to buy expensive chocolate treats from the store. Try your hand at making your own sweet Easter eggs.
• Easter Bunny Pancakes: start the day off right with an easy, sweet breakfast treat!
• Surprise Easter Egg Rice Krispies Treats: this recipe makes Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats in the shape of eggs with a candy treat “hidden” inside.

Easter Baskets and Crafts

• Mini Baskets Out of Ice Cream Cones: simply fill ice cream cones with jelly beans. Then poke two holes in the sides of the cones and tuck end of apple licorice sticks into holes to create baskets.
• Paper Easter Bag: this tutorial shows you an easy way to make a cute Easter bag out of a shopping or gift bag.
• Fill Your Basket With Freebies: take advantage of these deals and freebies found by Confessions of a Thrifty Mama.
• Edible Easter Basket: why not make your Easter basket an actual edible treat? Try this recipe from About’s Family Crafts.
• Baskets for Less Than a Quarter: check out garage sales and thrift stores for inexpensive items, like pails for sandboxes, that can double as Easter baskets.
• Envelope Bunnies: try this easy paper craft from Tip Junkie for storing candy and goodies for kids.
• Cardboard Bunny Family: make use of extra paper towel and toilet paper tubes in this fun craft project.

How do you celebrate Easter in your home? What are some of your favorite frugal Easter crafts, activities, goodies, decorations, etc?

Additional Source: Frugal Living Blog, Guide to Online Schools, Tip Junkie

Photo credit: chritinoell, .imelda, roboppy