It was the time of year that celebrated the rebirth of Christ by the Christians and the beginning of Spring by the pagans. However the history of the Easter basket has its beginnings firmly in the Christian religion.

Christians recognize the 46 days that lead up to Easter Sunday as being a period known as Lent. During this time they are expected to observe a form of fasting which prevents them from eating eggs, dairy and meat products. Some people will also use this time nowadays to give up various vices such as smoking and eating candy.

When Lent was over people would traditionally have a huge feast which would be held in churches in many villages. Each family would take huge basket of church filled with the food and treats that they had given up for Lent. All of these baskets would be blessed by priests which meant that food that the people were about to consume was blessed by God.

Modern Easter Baskets

As time progressed the Easter baskets that were made for Easter time became more and more elaborate. This tied in very much with the giving of chocolate Easter eggs that started to become very popular from the 18th century onwards. Baskets were once plain and made from wicker and other basket making materials. From the 18th century onwards and these were made from wood, cardboard and other materials that could be decorated quite intricately.

Many people would use these Easter baskets as the container for Easter gifts such as chocolate eggs and candies. They were not really used as part of the Lent celebrations any more as more and more people moved away from this tradition. Some people would also use their Easter baskets as a receptacle for collecting Easter eggs in if they were attending an Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday.

Easter Baskets Today

Today the sky is the limit when it comes to Easter baskets and there are so many different designs to choose from. Some people will opt for the tradition basket shaped design that can hold chocolate eggs, candy, food, toys and many other gift items. Others will look for amazing baskets that are shaped like the Easter Bunny, Easter eggs and many other Easter related symbols.