Easter nests.

When I was little Mum made us Easter "nests" which I thought were fabulous and magical and beautiful! I think I loved them more than the Easter eggs that came on Easter Sunday.

These nests were made of a shoe box, wrapped in cellophane layers and filled with shredded cellophane in different colours and other pretty papers. 

When Chloe and Lucy were little I carried this on and we made pretty ones with lots of pink and sparkles, even confetti and glitter etc. whatever I had really. They loved them! And the excitement of getting them ready and Easter was lovely.

Now there are shredders so you can put any pretty paper through a shredder and have instant filling. If you save used wrapping paper this would do. Also I found yesterday cheap shops have ready made shredded filling in pastels and sparkles for $1! Oh my goodness! So I grabbed some pink and clear sparkly and made a quick nest with a box at home. This is to fill with pink cupcakes over the weekend as a gift.

It took only a few minutes and now I realise these are a great way to give Easter cooking and have it looking lovely! 

Our tradition was to put these out Easter Saturday and during the night the Easter Bunny would come (like Father Christmas) and put eggs in there to be found Easter morning.

Easter is deeply meaningful for us too and not just about eggs and bunnies. But like Christmas we do both, celebrate the spiritual side and enjoy the traditions in food, gifts, celebrating etc. I love these times. And making them gorgeous just doesn't have to cost much.

We used to have an Easter egg hunt at the farm under a patch of pine trees. I would nestle little eggs into the pine needles and under pine cones. The kids loved this and would carry little baskets to collect the eggs. Often I would bake a cake (a hummingbird cake often) and decorate with bunnies or chickens. 

I used to buy a packet of Arnotts Arrowroot biscuits as these are flat and egg shaped and give the girls pastel icing and sprinkles etc and they would spend hours icing and decorating them. Then they would give them to family and friends. That was an inexpensive and great fun activity. 

I don't think Easter has to involve chocolate if you don't want. Or maybe can be less chocolate and something else. The time of the year here means over the years and different ages I have given the girls cute fluffy slippers, pyjamas, heat packs, scarves... things toward being snuggly in the cool weather. 

For people who are diabetic or dieting even an easter nest filled with fruit or tea or a little gift would still be an easter themed gift and so sweet. 

Things are so magical for children. Mum's simple shoe box and cellophane seemed so fabulous to me. What a beautiful memory. Little kids do not need expensive stuff to have a wonderful time. 

And now I've realised I can make easter nests again although when little ones come along I will love reviving this sweet tradition.