This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!
Easter baskets have been around for ages as symbols of new life and renewal. They also are seen as representing Spring and the rebirth of the planet each year. According to legends, people would bring baskets of early seedlings to the fertility goddess Eostre- who carried a basket of eggs, to increase the chance of a plentiful harvest. In German folklore, the white Easter Hare would leave baskets filled with candies, colored eggs, and goodies for the children on Easter morning. It is said that Easter grass comes from the Dutch tradition of children leaving eggs in nests to deliver on Easter Sunday. I found this clip from the History channel if you are interesting in learning more.

I remember the joy of searching the house for my Easter basket as a child. One year it was hidden in the dryer and I couldn’t find it. I remember being so upset that the bunny skipped my house! This is a fun tradition that I plan to pass along to my children, but I don’t want to be wasteful in doing so. I don’t like the idea of junk toys that get played with once. And there’s no reason a 3 year old needs a basket filled with candy! Now that Easter is only a month away, it’s time to start thinking about what the white rabbit will be leaving in our house…
Planet One Gifts has created amazing fair trade eco-friendly Easter baskets for older and younger girls and boys. I received the Little Girl basket and it is one of the most original baskets I’ve ever seen! The basket itself is handwoven by artisans in Bangladesh. To me, it screams little girl. It’s the perfect size for flower petals, play food, chalk and even hair bows. Planet One Gifts filled the Easter basket with biodegradable Easter grass to cut down on waste. Not to mention how toxic the plastic strings can be for pets!

Some of you might wonder why this is important or why is this better than the $2 plastic basket at Walmart. The basic idea of the Easter basket is to celebrate all of mother nature. So why would you want to promote sweatshops that employee children who should be in school or outside playing? And why would you want purchase products that are made with petrochemicals, carcinogens, and other dangers for the environment, workers, and your children? Especially when you can purchase fair trade baskets that are handmade by artisans from impoverished countries. By simply making a fair trade purchase and skipping out on the plastic junk, you are making a statement that you want change. It truly starts with 1 person!

The Little Girl basket is also filled with fun educational fair trade toys. My personal favorite is the Guatemalan Worry Dolls. I had these when I was a child and had forgotten all about them. According to legend, if you tell the Worry Dolls your worries and place them under your pillow, by the morning the dolls will have taken your worries away. The Worry Dolls are made by women who live on the outskirts of Guatemala. Through UPAVIM Crafts, these women have developed a community medical and dental clinic, scholarship and tutoring program, breastfeeding program, and Montessori daycare center through their sales. There are 3 other awesome products in the Little Girl basket that are made by UPAVIM Crafts- a Toothfairy Bag, Clay Animal Family, and a Tic Tac Toe game. I love that the Tic Tac Toe game is made out of fabric and buttons. That is a genius way to cut out wasting paper for the fun game! It is a great size for traveling.

The Little Girl basket also comes with a Animal Pewter Charm with cord in a fun tin from South Africa. There are 12 different animals that you could get! And of course no Easter basket would be complete without some kind of chocolate! It comes with the Divine Milk Chocolate Coins imported from the Netherlands. These shiny gold coins are made with the finest fair trade cocoa, smooth cocoa butter, and real vanilla. The coins are also free of artificial flavorings, colorings, and preservatives. I am going to hide these in Easter eggs for our egg hunt. 🙂

Here are what the other 3 Easter baskets look like. You can get them at Planet One Gifts for only $39.95! Not only are you giving your child eco-friendly, educational and responsible gifts, you are helping a family eat, get medical attention and live a better life.The Giveaway: Planet One Gifts would like to give 3 lucky winners a bag of Divine Milk Chocolate Coins!! Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST March 19, 2010 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open to the US

How to Enter: Go to Planet One Gifts and tell me something else that would be great in an Easter basket. Make sure you leave your email address!! I cannot contact the winner without it!

EXTRA Entries: You must complete the “How To Enter” before making any extra entries. Make sure you leave a comment for each extra entry and tell me which one.

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New disclaimer: I was sent these items to review from Planet One Gifts. This in NO way changes my opinions about the products or company. These are my thoughts, opinions and results.