When I was a kid, I had some questions about the Easter Bunny. Now, Santa—I got that guy. Big dude, cool sleigh, lots of presents. But why was the Easter Bunny hiding eggs? Why did he want us to color the eggs first? And why was he on his hind legs?
That said, there was candy, so I didn’t question it too much. You want to hide eggs? Knock yourself out, Bugs. I’ll be eating some jelly beans.
But that’s kind of the thing with Easter; culturally, it often falls a distant second to Christmas. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. You can have Easter traditions that are as lovely and meaningful as your Christmas ones.
One of those traditions can be an Easter gift exchange. A Hidden Hare. A Reclusive Rabbit. A Concealed Cottontail. Call it what you want: an Easter gift exchange makes this sacred Sunday a time of even more joy and togetherness.
Tips for Hosting an Easter Gift Exchange
In theory, hosting an Easter gift exchange is no different than hosting a Secret Santa at any other time. Start by finding a great online gift exchange generator, ideally one that will allow everyone to make wish lists and let you buy directly from that list. Make sure everyone knows the rules for a Secret Santa (or Lurking Lepus or whatever). The generator will pair people up, you browse their list, and buy gifts. Simple.
You can have any kind of gift exchange you want. But if you want to play up the Easter theme, all pastel-colored and redolent of lilacs, there are a few other things you can do.
Set Up Games for the Kids
Most kids are too young to really participate in a gift exchange. So, consider also having fun kids games at your Easter party.
- Egg decorating (an oldie but a goodie)
- Egg toss (recommended for outdoors)
- Arts and crafts
- Scavenger hunts with an Easter theme
- Race to see who can eat the most jelly beans (well, maybe only if you want kids hyped up on sugar)
- See who can guess how many jelly beans are in a jar (okay, that’s better)
- Petting zoo (if you have access to a rabbit)
- Plant spring flowers (if you’re at a house with a garden)
These games will keep the kids entertained while the adults swap gifts and stories.
Easter Basket for Teenagers
If you have teens in your family, you know they might be too young for the gift exchange but too old to decorate eggs. Some of the above games will appeal to them, but they might feel left out.
So, here’s an idea: make an Easter gift basket for the teenagers at your gathering. Think about gift ideas for teens, such as sports, music, books, movies, or games. It doesn’t have to be expensive. It just has to be something that shows you care about them.
Themes for an Easter Gift Exchange
Again, I want to emphasize that if you have a gift exchange, you can do whatever you want. You can have any theme. If you want an Avengers Easter, you do you!
For more traditional Easter themes, here are a few gift exchange ideas:
- Easter decor. Carry the green tidings throughout the rest of spring with Easter decor. From decorative carrots to ring holders to beautiful ceramic mugs, you can have that feeling of Easter morning whenever you want.
- Gardening. It’s spring. It’s time for the earth to awaken. If your family plants, having a garden themed gift exchange is perfect for Easter. From tools to seeds to books, there’s no shortage of gift options.
- Art and crafts. This time of the year inspires me to get creative. If you’re the same, you can exchange items for arts and crafts or other hobbies. It’s a way to encourage people to keep pursuing what makes them happy.
- Eco-Friendly. There are tons of eco-friendly gifts, from sandals to razors to cleaning products. If your goal is to reduce your footprint, this is a great gift exchange idea.
There are limitless themes. Pick the one that means something to you and your loved ones.
Make an Easter Gift Exchange Your New Tradition
I love Easter. I love the traditions behind it, and I love where it falls in the year. It feels like you’re turning a corner. But the great thing about traditions is that they can, like the flowers crawling out of fresh earth, grow. They can incorporate new things.
My family has really enjoyed our Easter gift exchange. It means we’re looking at the new season together. It means we’re sharing love on this day of warmth and brightness. It means we’re together, looking at the sun, and feeling hopeful.
If you’re doing an Easter gift exchange, you want a Secret Santa generator that makes everything go smoothly. Elfster will help you pair people up, shop for gifts, and start a Wish List. And you can do it all from an iPhone app or Android app.
