Non-Candy Gifts for Easter Baskets

I am a chocaholic. Wait, let's be honest. I'm a candyholic. As I approach my 40th year, my love for anything sweet seems to have intensified. Except for black jellybeans and black licorice, I have never met a piece of candy I did not enjoy down to the last bite.

The trouble is that my penchant for sweet treats has not been kind to my waistline or my dentine. And as a mom of 3 little kids who seem to have inherited my taste buds (especially my daughter), I need to keep the quantity of candy in my house to a minimum.

But, alas, it's Easter and the colorful treats beckon wherever I shop. Every year, despite my best intentions to limit the candy, my children are tickled to find heaps of candy overflowing their baskets. That in and of itself is not a big deal.

It's the onslaught of candy that continues the rest of Easter day. First the grandparents from both sides arrive bearing baskets. And next, there's the big neighborhood Easter egg hunt. By the end of the day, we could open an Easter candy boutique!

If you, too, want to limit the candy consumption on Easter day, here are some of my best non-candy gifts for Easter! (Maybe I'll even take my own advice for once....)

(1) Do not substitute JUNKY toys that you will just throw away in a day. That is a complete waste of money. Just had to get that one out of the way. We've all done it!

(2) Do stock up on plastic eggs that you can reuse year after year. Sure, they're great for jellybeans, but get creative about other treasures to put inside. Hint: A dollar bill can put a big smile on a child's face and help them save toward a more valuable purchase later.

(3) Do not turn Easter into a mini version of Christmas. Sometimes parents feel guilty about limiting candy, so we substitute more lavish presents on our children to compensate. I don't think you need me to list the reasons why this is a bad idea. I've done it and paid the consequences. Keep the bar low and your kids will learn to appreciate their Peeps.

(4) Do put in a bunny. If your kid likes chocolate, go to town and find the biggest, most embellished hare on the shelf. There is nothing better than munching on a big bunny ear or the sickly-sweet candied facial features.

(5) Do not be afraid to toss in a great Easter book. In fact, make it a tradition to include a new book about the holiday every year with a note from the Easter bunny inside. Here are some great non-candy Easter gifts ...books from The Lollipop Book Club!

(6) Do read this article about other fantastic Easter gifts for kids! It is full of ideas on how to make your child's holiday extra special this year.

Easter Gifts for Kids from The Lollipop Book Club

Send some sweet Easter cheer to all of your little bunnies from The Lollipop Book Club! Each Easter gift for kids will arrive in a cheerful package delivered to the child's home.


Inside the child will find a wonderful Easter book, an adorable Easter lollipop, and a special note from you for inside the book.

Here are just a few of the best Easter books that make wonderful Easter gifts for children from The Lollipop Book Club:




Everyone knows that the Easter Bunny comes every year with a basket of painted eggs and chocolates. But who is the Easter Bunny, and what is his story? At last, the famous bunny's secrets are revealed in this delightful tale perfect for springtime.







In this version of Clement Moores's classic poem, two siblings witness the nighttime arrival of the Easter Bunny.









Pauline the hen lays unusual eggs, but Mrs. Pennywort, her owner, thinks they're beautiful, and she and Pauline work together to open an Easter egg farm.












Just as a little boy named Sam and an old man named Henry remind the town of Easterville, best-selling author Melody Carlson reminds us as well that the true meaning of Easter is not Easter bonnets, baskets, colored eggs, candy, or decorations, but the story of the Cross.



Two stories in one book While grandmother prepares for Easter above ground, the rabbit family below pesters their father, who they are quite convinced is the Easter bunny. By the end, he's not so sure he isn't.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee- 2011 Caldecott Medal Winner

Each year a new children’s picture book earns the highly distinguished Caldecott medal. This golden stamp that adorns the jacket cover is an award for the illustrator’s captivating work of art.

The recipient of the 2011 Caldecott medal is a simple, endearing book called A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Erin Stead is the talented illustrator who created this book in cooperation with author/husband, Philip Stead.

The story is about a zookeeper named Amos who lovingly cares for the animals day in and day out. But what happens when Amos is sick and needs a caretaker himself? Well, the elephant, rhinoceros, turtle and other zoo creatures step up to the plate and deliver a heartwarming display of friendship and compassion.

When sharing this story with your kids, take your time and soak in the details of the woodblock and hand drawing illustrations. The delicate sketches and hints of color complement the storyline perfectly.

To read more about Erin Stead and her process in creating the pictures for this year’s Caldecott winner, you will want to hop over to her website for a visit- http://blog.erinstead.com/2009/04/here-is-how-i-make-picture-slightly.html.

Only then will you truly appreciate the amount of thought and hours of work that go into each and every page of this year’s worthy winner.

The Reindeer Keeper by Barbara Briggs Ward

For those of you who follow my blog and are familiar with my website- The Lollipop Book Club- you understand that I adore well written and illustrated children's books. My business and passion are wrapped into one, and for this I am fortunate.



Truth be told, you can catch me reading an actual novel from time to time. I cannot imagine a cozier day than to settle into my couch by the fireplace with a cup of coffee and a book that will take me away to another place or into someone else's life for awhile.



I am quite particular about what I will read but not because I am a book snob. Simply put, I do not have a lot of free time with three active kids under age 9 and a business to run.

I can tell you that this holiday season, The Reindeer Keeper will be waiting for me on the table by my favorite couch in the den. The cover alone is the perfect invitation on a cold winter day.

The storyline alludes to something magical -we must Believe Again. Reminds me of The Polar Express and I have a feeling it will touch me in the same way. If you have a few moments, visit the website for The Reindeer Keeper and enjoy the video introducing this enticing holiday novel.

You may find this book to be the perfect gift for many on your list this season! The book is available for purchase on the website and through Amazon.

Quotes for Kids

The Lollipop Book Club connects children and adults through the gift of books. What makes our service so special is the way in which we package and deliver the gifts to the child's doorstep. We carry baby book gifts, chapter books like Newbery Medal Winners, and a huge selection of the best picture books for girls and boys of every age in between.

Each book includes a bookplate with a special message from the gift-giver. Our customers cherish this opportunity to wish a Happy Birthday, offer a Congratulations, and impart words of wisdom kids will read every time they pick up a favorite book.

Here is a list of our absolutely favorite quotes for kids, famous and not-so-famous alike, that we have imprinted on notes for those very special Lollipop Book Club gifts:

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on the Treasure Island."
- Walt Disney

"You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm."
-French novelist Colette’s advice to her daughter

"Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing."
- William Arthur Ward

"I don’t know who my grandfather was; I’m much more concerned to know what his grandson will be."
- Abraham Lincoln

"Fall seven times, stand up eight."
-Japanese saying

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
-Chinese saying

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right."
-Henry Ford

"It doesn't matter how slowly you go- as long as you don't stop!"
-Confucious

"You always pass failure on the way to success."
-Mickey Rooney

"Only surround yourself with people who will lift you higher."
-Oprah Winfrey

"Make each day your masterpiece."
-John Wooden

"It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."
- Epictetus

"Because life is a gift, all of us are gifted."
- Noah benShea

New Halloween Books for Kids- Perfectly Spooky Gifts!

Send a spooktacular Halloween book from The Lollipop Book Club. Each Halloween package includes a book of your choice, a Halloween lollipop, and a message on a bookplate, making this gift the creepiest keepsake ever. Here are some of the best new Halloween books for 2010.

Zen Ghosts by Jon J. Muth

From the publisher:

It's Halloween.

The trees are ablaze in fiery reds. Excited children don colorful costumes. And there's mystery and fun around every corner

When Addy, Michael, and Karl finish trick-or-treating, their bags are brimming with treats. But the fun isn't over yet. Their good friend Stillwater the panda has one more special surprise in store for them. A mysterious visitor is about to tell them a spine-tingling story -- one that will fill each and every reader with wonder.



Scaredy-Cat, Splat! by Rob Scotton

From the publisher:

It's Halloween, and Splat is determined to be the scariest cat in the class. Unfortunately he's just too much of a scaredy-cat. He's afraid of a little spider, and everyone says his costume looks more silly than scary. And when Mrs. Wimpydimple tells a ghost story in the dark, Splat gets so frightened that he tips over his jack-o'-lantern. But when the lights go back on, the entire class is scared silly by a small, black, furry creature with a big pumpkin head. "Whooooo" can it be?







The Curious Little Witch by Lieve Baeten

From the publisher:

What happens when a little witch gets curious? An international bestseller comes to the US! Lizzy is a curious little witch. Late one night she spots an old house all lit up when everyone else is asleep, and she can't help herself. She just "has "to investigate. The Little Witch books have been favorites around the world for years. Now, at last, the irresistible Little Witch comes to America!

Vampire Boy's Good by Lisa Brown

From the publisher:

When the sun goes down and everything is wonderfully cold and dark, a vampire boy and a little witch go searching for children in the night.

But this is no ordinary night. It is Halloween, and what they find may surprise them. . . .

Alpha Oops! H is for Halloween by Alethea Contis & Bob Kolar

From the publisher:

H gets top billing -- but a stubborn B has something scary to say -- as the inside-out alphabet gives a howl-arious Halloween performance.
Ack It's time for the show, and A isn't ready. But then again, Halloween can only start with one letter, no matter how the A-B-Cs normally go The misbehaving alphabet is back, and there's no telling who will take the stage next. Z for zombie? P for pirate? Will X think of something good in time? Neon-bright, comically detailed illustrations show a cacophony of costumed letters, each with a mind and personality all its own. Along the bottom, tiny pumpkins arrange the players in proper order, making this alphabet story letter-perfect for Halloween.

The Halloween Kid by Rhode Montijo

From the publisher:

The Halloween Kid is capable of wranglin' all manner of halloween hoodlums to keep the night safe for trick-or-treaters...

That is until a band of greedy goodie goblins gallop onto the scene - then even the Halloween Kid can use a helpin' hand.

Graduation Quotes and Books

It's that time of year when graduates of every age are celebrating their recent accomplishments and preparing for their next endeavors. So whether you are attending a ceremony for preschool or medical school graduates, you may want to send a poignant message to that special person who is ready for a new challenge.

Here are some of the best graduation quotes we could find that will touch and inspire your graduate. Think about sending your special message along with a fabulous graduation book from The Lollipop Book Club!

"Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

"All our dreams can come true...if we have the courage to pursue them." -Walt Disney

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go." -Dr. Seuss

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." -Winston Churchill

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." -Nelson Mandela

"The horizon leans forward, offering you space to place new steps of change." -Maya Angelou

"A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad." -Theodore Roosevelt

"It is clear the future holds great opportunities. It also holds pitfalls. The trick will be to avoid the pitfalls, seize the opportunities, and get back home by six o'clock." -Woody Allen
"Hitch your wagon to a star." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." -Confucius

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Attributed to Mark Twain

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." -Judy Garland

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door." -Milton Berle

"How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone." - Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel
"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

"To the uneducated, an A is just three sticks." -A.A. Milne