How to Create an Easter Basket for a College Student

Easter baskets are great gifts for any age. This holiday does not just have to be fun for the children. The key is to make sure you customize the Easter basket to fit the age and interests of the person you are giving the basket to. This is especially true with college students! If your college student is coming home for this holiday then you can have their Easter basket waiting for them. If they will be staying at college, send the Easter basket as a care package. Every college student loves getting packages in the mail. Here are a few tips for creating a fun Easter basket for a college student.

If your college student is coming home, select a basket that they can display in their dorm room all year round. This is especially good for female college students. Instead of using a pastel or Easter themed basket, find a plain basket and dress it up with a festive bow. Once they have emptied the goodies from their basket, they can put it in their dorm room and use it to hold other things. Dorm rooms usually lack storage and having extra containers is very helpful. In fact, instead of a basket your student may need a Tupperware container of some kind. The containers where you can pull the drawer out are really great. Wrap a bow around it to create a festive Easter look.

If your student is not coming home for the holidays, you will not need to worry about a container or basket to hold their things. Select a box that will hold all of their gifts and decorate it with Easter stickers and drawings. When they get the box from the post office, the decorations will let them know what they have received.

Once you have the container, box, or basket for your Easter basket or care package, it is time to decide what goes inside. There are three things that every college student needs: money, food, and fun! Include a little of all three things in your basket and it is sure to be a hit! Here are a few ideas.

Money: What college student doesn't need money? If you include this in your basket you will be their hero. Money does not just mean cash though. Be creative. Start with phone cards. While cell phones can be found in almost everyone's hand these days, as a college student away from home it is very easy to go over on minutes. Phone cards are great for the end of the month when they realize their phone bill is going to be a little steep that month. Plus, giving them phone cards is a great way to make sure they call home and check in every now and then! Gas cards are a great gift. This is the gift that says 'Come home and visit!' Before purchasing a gas card make sure that the specific gas station is available to your student. Purchasing a gas card for a Shell Station will not help your college student if the closest Shell Station is 200 miles away. If phone cards and gas cards aren't an option, cash is always welcome! Don't forget, your student has laundry to do. Rolls of quarters are great to put in the Easter basket as well. Quarters can be hard to come by when it comes laundry time. Giving your student a roll will ensure that their dirty laundry isn't piling up.

Food: Let's face it; college cafeterias do not always serve the best quality meals. It is great to have non-perishable items stocked up for times when they get hungry. Easy Mac, ramen noodles, and other quick microwavable pastas are great options. Think about what your college student likes to eat and give them a small supply. Coffee for late nights is also a plus. Also, fast food isn't always the best choice, but it can be a college student's best friend. Gift cards for fast food chains in their area can be purchased and stuffed in the basket. These can usually be bought in 5, 10, or 20 dollar amounts. Lastly, don't forget to throw in some Easter candy! Everyone loves candy and it is simply a part of the Easter tradition.

Fun: College isn't easy and depending on the load your student carries, they may not have a lot of time to get out in the world and really have fun. Once again, gift cards come into play here. Starbucks, movie rentals, and movie theater gift cards will give them a break from the books and some time away from the dorm. Even though the fun little toys on the Easter aisle are meant for children, they can provide great stress relief for busy college students. Throw in things like slinkies, paddle balls, or other small toys that they can play with.

The key is to create a basket that revolves around the things that your student needs while they are away from college. While money, food, and fun are great options you can always add in other items. Paint brushes for the art student, socks for the athlete, or a small book light for those late night study sessions are great. Take the time to create something your college student will really appreciate and it will be sure to bring a smile to his or her face.

Other ideas: Magazines, pens, notebooks, novels, cookies, crackers, chips, a small Easter bunny, sewing kit, first aid kit, highlighters, personal items such as deodorant, nail files, popcorn, fabric softner, or tea.