Reader Dawn Dennier posted this fabulous idea on For the Mommas Facebook page. What a great idea! Instead of spending money on baskets and grass, that will just end up in the trash, Dawn used a beach towel as the basket for her grandchildren’s baskets. The “basket” becomes part of the gift! I totally love this idea! It is frugal and green at the same time! Not to mention, they are totally adorable!
I would love to hear what frugal tips you have for easter this year!
A big thanks to Dawn for letting me post her photo.
We usually just reuse the same baskets, but sometimes I like to switch it up… Last year I used basketball hoop baskets for the boys… this will be a great idea for this year since we are headed to Disneyland and the beach in June, thanks!
We use the same baskets also year after year although this year I am giving each daughter a basket in a plastic mixing bowl. I still make all 4 grown children and their spouses a basket, plus my parents and all my grandchildren………
I saw your post on beach towel Easter basket. I was wondering if you fold it a certain way in order to fill it? Thanks
I wondered that too, then I thought just fill a paper bag then wrap it with the towel.
My mom bought my kids beautiful baskets from Pottery Barn Kids with personalized fabric liners when each was born. I can’t imagine getting rid of them ever! Sometimes I replace the grass but I always reuse the plastic eggs. My siblings and I grew up using the same baskets, too.
You can use dish towels and wash clothes as wrap as well, You use safety pins or ribbon to close it up! Great for shower gifts or to wrap fun soaps!!!
You could also use a fleece blanket instead of the towel. I’ve seen them for less that $4. I also reuse baskets and grass. I collect all the ones no one wants and store them till the next easter. I donated all the extra baskets and eggs to my church to use for next easter. There are usually children who didn’t bring a basket and would like to join in the egg hunt.
How do you keep the things inside from falling out of the bottom??
I place on coffee table and than fill them up!!!
You could fill a paper bag then wrap the towel around it.
Last year I used bicycle baskets for my kids Easter baskets!
I like that idea. I like giving useful gifts that are funny too!
My parents have also used small trash cans (to then be used in their rooms) and a sand bucket (for them to use in the sand) for the Easter basket.
I was thinking the same thing ! I just finished personalizing canvas bags for all the kids to use as baskets. I feel so bad when things are only used once, or are not so great for the environment. I love this towel idea! Thanks for sharing : )
My blog isn’t much but here’s some pics of the ones I made
http://naturelovingmom.blogspot.com/2010/03/here-comes-peter-cottontail.html
While I don’t save the grass, I do reuse the baskets. At my mom’s house I still have the same basket I used at my first easter 28 years ago, and I used it when I was there last year. Here at my house dh and I have baskets we reuse every year and I have a few others that get stored away and used for the pets, foster kids, family, etc. I don’t know why anyone would throw away a perfectly good basket, seems silly to me.
p.s. this year I bought paper grass, since my bird loves chewing on crinkled paper so I will reuse it for him.
My 4 1/2 year old asked if we could get a bucket to use for his Easter basket..that way he could use it to play with outside. last year he got a suitcase for our upcoming vacation. I have yet to buy him a basket. he made a list of all the things he wants for Easter….a pineapple, can of tuna, pringles, one of those new lysol hand sanitizer machines, koolaid, one cadburry egg, and some peeps. We had to make a list yesterday and this is what he told me. he will get all of those items, but I am planning on purchasing a few other items that he hasn’t asked for. When I asked him why he wanted those items, he said that we had coupons we could give the Easter bunny plus he can use all of those things.
Guess my coupon clipping is rubbing off on him…last night when we were shopping he told my husband that he would have to put that item back because mommy didn’t have a coupon!:)
@Cindy,
Ok totally love that your son wouldn’t buy something without a coupon. Well atleast everything in his basket has coupons available!
I just read this 3x and laughed out loud! Kids are awesome! And really ,a can of tuna”?????? Sooo funny!
LOVE this! Too bad I already picked up a couple baskets at the Dollar Tree. I would have reused their baskets from last year, but I ended up using them to store items around the house so I didn’t want to empty them out, haha.
my husband makes easter baskets and we still use the same ones each year as with the grass-kids don’t care as long as they have a basket-oh by the way kids are 28 & 23 and now we have a grandbaby who just made one! so hubby made a new basket for the baby
I also just thought of another idea. If I can find an inexpensive jump rope, I could use that to tie around the towel!
Very, very cute idea! I agree that it would also make a cute shower or birthday gift!! I bought two of the Target beach towels for my niece’s birthdays in June. I think I will fill them with pool toys etc from the Dollar Tree and they will love it!!
This is a great creative idea. I agree with Becky though. I am astonished that the majority of people get new baskets each year. I had the same basket and grass year after year when I grew up. Now my kids use the same ‘baskets’ year after year. I have 3 boys so they are sport ball baskets. We actually use them at Halloween too. So far they have lasted 6 years. I have the same grass too!
@Dina,
So many people do, especially when its for grandchildren. We personally do not do an easter basket, I always hide eggs or gifts and he searches for them.
I love this idea! I am going to do this for my kids this year!
Last year I used the beach bags that Victoria Secret gave out for free. Kids still use the bags!
“in the trash”??? Seriously?? We’ve been using the same basket and grass since my son was born! I simply remove the grass and put it in a ziploc bag before storing away the basket and grass. My daughter will be using the same basket as last year too! Sorry, but I think it’s far more frugal, not to mention it cuts down on the amount of clutter around the house, to use the same basket year after year. I got both of their baskets fairly cheap too by buying them after Easter on sale when I was pregnant.
@Becky,
Becky,
I think this is a great idea instead of getting a new basket each year (which the majority of people do!)
We love it!! Leah and Nat- we are fans!
I put my son’s easter goodies in a sandbucket. They are pretty cheap (you can pick up a good sized one at the dollar store)… & we live in florida, so we’ll be beachin it pretty soon!
@Amber,
That is a great idea!
Great idea, thanks for sharing!
That’s a fantastic idea! Thanks for sharing, am now kicking myself for missing out on the Target beach towel coupon, lol.
I agree .. the basket & grass are a waste. Love this non-conventional ideal!!! Thanks for sharing w/all of us. :)
What a great idea! I think I will copy this idea because I wanted to get my kiddos beach towels for Easter. Thanks!
I love this– I’m always trying to avoid buying/using wrapping paper, bags, etc because I hate that they’re so wasteful. This year at Christmas I gave several gifts in niec canvas bags that I found for about $3 each. These towel baskets could be really nice for a wedding or shower, too, done just a little differently (bath or kitchen towels, or even a receiving blanket for a baby shower). Thanks so much for sharing- I hope your grandkids enjoy!
These look adorable! Thanks for sharing, Dawn!
So creative! Awesome idea!!!!