Friday, March 22, 2013

A Modern Easter Tray



It is fairly common to use an alternative container in lieu of an actual basket to fill with goodies and treats for Easter. I myself have used mint-green, metal pails filled with shredded brown paper instead of Easter grass as the base for Easter eggs and personalized small gifts, such as a bright, new kitchen towel for mom or a squeegee for cleaning the car windows for dad. And when I think about it, a colander filled with various kitchen goodies would be a fun idea for mom, or a friend who loves to cook. 


There are so many possibilities for using something different or unique instead of a traditional Easter basket. If you are environmentally conscious, re-using those cute little plastic or paper, berry baskets from the grocery store, accented with ribbons or colored jute would be cute, as would crafting your own “baskets” out of recycled cardboard boxes or paper bags. Here in Sweden baskets are not used at all. Instead they fill these adorable, oversized, paper eggs with candy or treats. There are several different styles ranging from colorful, foil-wrapped eggs to eggs with lovely, old-fashioned Easter scenes on them to do-it-yourself plain eggs that you can paint, decoupage or otherwise decorate how you’d like.


I absolutely love these eggs, and the bigger they are the better. Our first year here I told my husband that I wanted the biggest egg he could find, though I told him not to fill it up with candy. He ended up getting a bigger egg than me but that’s okay. Most of the fun is in giving them away. They are a fun, even whimsical, way to celebrate the coming of spring and renewed life, as one literally gets to crack open the egg to obtain the surprises inside. And while I still plan to stuff a few lovely paper eggs full of goodies for those near and dear, this year I wanted to also do something "annorlunda" (the Swedish word for different). I wanted to take an everyday object, a simple unsuspecting item, and use it in a new way. 


When I came across this cute, wooden tray I knew it was the perfect vehicle. I love the earthy element that natural wood lends and the soft, bulky yarn creates the perfect nest in which to nestle goodies. It is simple and elegant and yet not overdone. 


Tray by Design House of Stockholm

... and wouldn't this container be cute? 

What do you think? What type of alternative container would you use instead of a basket to fill with Easter goodies?

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