The days are getting longer – we have 12 hours of daylight already! That means warmer weather is coming and the snow and ice will soon be melting. Easter must be right around the corner!

Easter in Alaska is always fun and often very exciting. We have a get together each year on a neighbor’s deck. Some years we are wearing light jackets and sunglasses and others, full on winter gear (coats, scarves, mittens, hats and bunny boots). The older kids hide plastic eggs filled with treats for the younger kids. On a snowy Easter, the bright colors against the white snow make the eggs pretty easy to find.

Not too many people are “from” Alaska, though, which means that we will be sending Easter baskets and goodies to our loved ones in the lower 48. We have had many successes over the years and a few, well, not so successful.

Here is what I have learned along the way:

• Don’t send baskets with handles. The box needs to be bigger to accommodate the handle and it is hard to secure the items inside the basket so they will stay in place.
• Tape plastic eggs shut or use Easter stickers to hold them together.
• Don’t send chocolate bunnies to warm places.
• Send hand-made items. You can make really cute baskets out of paint cans or very large food cans. For ideas, visit Kaboose.com
• Make decorative treats using jelly beans or other candies that won’t melt, such as the Jelly Bean Carrots from FamilyFun.com
• Send coloring pages, games or crafts made by children. Visit daniellesplace.com for ideas and templates.
• And finally, never ever send real hardboiled eggs!

For help packing up your baskets and getting them to your loved ones intact and on time, hop on over to your neighborhood The UPS Store and leave it to the packing experts!