Candy, chocolate and colored eggs

It really is tough to resist filling my daughter's Easter basket with sweet goodies and spending the afternoon dipping eggs in food coloring and other chemical processes (that are admittedly fun and dramatic). However, the alternatives are worth a little extra time and for me, definitely worth putting in place now so there is less expectation when my toddler is more aware of more traditional ideas.

We colored eggs using cooked down red cabbage (blue), cooked down turmeric with cream of tarter (yellow), and beet juice with vinegar (brownish-red). All took overnight soaks for really saturated colors and be careful not to stain your clothes, countertops, etc. There are soy based crayons or beeswax candles you can use to draw on the egg before dipping to create another effect.

I filled her basket with tiny gifts instead of candy - socks, a book, mini rolling pin for play-baking. But I loved this post on Red Pill Parents on alternatives to conventional Easter treats. I would love to hear your ideas, too for next year. Drop me a line.

If you are celebrating this week, I wish you a meaningful holiday.