Have a More Fun, Less Stuff Easter

Find Easter events on the Eco831 calendar here.
Here’s an article on the pagan roots of Easter in The Guardian.
Easter is celebrated on the First Sunday after the First Full Moon following the northern spring equinox, for 2026 it’s April 5.

Easter is a celebration of spring and rebirth. But it’s also the king of processed candy and plastic trinkets.

Americans will spend more than $2 billion on Easter candy—nearly half a pound for every man, woman and child in the country.

Easter is a family-centered holiday—dyeing eggs, backyard hunts, time spent in nature, and family meals. But for many of us, Easter has become too commercialized. When you visit most any store you’ll find shelves brimming with disposable, mass-produced trinkets, plastic décor, baskets, stuffed animals, plastic eggs, and more.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Here are our tips for a More Fun, Less Stuff Easter.

Candy
Avoid wasteful packaging, buy candy from the bulk section of your favorite local grocery market. Or shop from our local sweet shops that use responsible ingredients. Then, wrap the candy in cloth squares or napkins or fill up your reusable eggs.

Eggs
Support our local farmers and buy eggs from pasture-raised chickens and dye them with natural food dyes. You might also try naturally colored eggs—different breeds of hens lay colored eggs ranging from browns, blues and greens. If you do have plastic eggs, be sure to use them year after year.

Greener Easter Baskets—Aim for Zero Waste
If baskets are a tradition in your family, find a basket that you can reuse year after year. Second-hand shops often have lots of baskets.

Cellophane Easter grass isn’t recyclable. If you already have it, be sure to reuse it. If you plan to buy some, try hay or straw instead—it can be composted!

No Live Animals
Some people put live Easter bunnies and chicks in their Easter baskets. Cute, but often a sad end for the animal. If you want a bunny or chickens be ready to make a lifelong commitment to caring for them.

Gift Items
If your family tradition includes gift giving consider a customized coupon book. Movie night, free pass on chores, foot rub. If you want to purchase gifts consider ideas that are good for wildlife, bird feeders, bird houses, gardening supplies, patio garden plants. Celebrate Spring!

More ideas for new Easter traditions:

Find a family favorite spot in nature and watch the sunrise
Buy only Fair Trade chocolate
Spend the day outside
Have a picnic instead of brunch
Instead of hiding eggs, plant sweet peas
Instead of sending cards or giving gifts, plant a tree

Here’s to an Easter filled with More Fun, Less Stuff…
More Love, Less Waste…
More Joy, Less Stress!

Image:
Pexels “Creative process of blue eggs”
“Easter Eggs Homestead Style” by Sarah Ivy, Creative Commons
“Naturally dyed – zero food coloring Easter eggs” by Jennifer Chait, Creative Commons

Eco-guide to living lighter

Celebrate Easter naturally

Celebrate Easter naturally

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