For our family, celebrating Easter means celebrating the changing seasons and welcoming springtime. Here in Vancouver, spring is in the air and blossoms are everywhere. It’s truly a lovely time of year.
Just like any other holiday, I aim to make Easter as eco-friendly as possible—but without losing any sleep over it! I don’t DIY everything, and that’s perfectly okay.
Gift a mindful and minimal Easter basket
I try to gift minimally when possible, for a few reasons. Of course, choosing minimal gifts is better for the environment, but I’ve also found it less overwhelming for little ones. Rather than giving lots all at once, I prefer to squirrel toys away through the year for a rainy—or otherwise challenging—day. For us, it means a more enjoyable and less stressful holiday.
Typically, I try to choose five items for an Easter basket:
- An outside toy: like bubbles, a skipping rope, sidewalk chalk, a ball, or a kite
- An inside toy: like homemade play dough, play silks, reusable stickers, a puzzle, art supplies, or DIY lacing cards
- A book: of course! To help inspire you, check out these “20 Nature Books for Kids: Springtime”
- A treat: like Fair Trade and organic chocolate or some homemade goodies
- A nature gift: like a potted plant or flower/vegetable seeds
Other Eco Easter tips
- If you can, buy bulk/unpackaged goodies.
- Make do with what you have, or choose secondhand for baskets, plastic/wooden eggs, and toys.
- Dye eggs naturally.
- Eat local and seasonal foods (or get takeout from a local restaurant to help support small businesses!).
- Like any other day, really, just get outside as much as possible and enjoy the sweet (almost) springtime air. If the weather allows, why not have a picnic?
- If you have access you’re able to do so in a COVID-safe way, consider an egg hunt outdoors. Maybe even couple it with a discussion of the nearby tree and flower species?
“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”
― Margaret Atwood, Bluebeard’s Egg
“Is the spring coming?” he said. “What is it like?”…
“It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine …”
― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
Wishing everyone a Happy Spring, and very Happy Easter, to everyone who celebrates it!
Leah Payne 
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