The Shore Blog

If you have a shore lover on your Easter gift list, we’ve got the perfect idea for you.

A beach-themed Easter basket.

Everything you need to make a beach-themed Easter basket is available to you right now. Swim suits, sunglasses, suntan lotion – all are making their pre-summer appearances at your favorite retailers. And with the Easter holiday approaching, many shore towns are hosting spring events which means more and more of your treasured shore shops are open – or will be very soon.

Here are 7 easy steps to making a shore-themed Easter basket.

1. Pick a theme. So, we know your gift recipient loves the shore, but what exactly is it that they love about it? Is it lying on the beach and catching rays? Riding bikes on the boards? Shopping in seaside boutiques? Once you narrow down your theme, selecting a basket and filling it becomes much easier. If it’s difficult to select a specific theme because your gift recipient loves many things about the shore, go with a generic one and fill it with a variety of beach-related items that best reflects their interests. Filling the basket with things they love about the shore will definitely make their holiday special.

2. Choose a basket. By “basket”, we don’t mean to imply that it has to be an actual basket. There are so many vessels that can serve as holders for Easter treats, especially if you’re going with a theme. For a bike rider, select a bike basket in which to fill your goodies. If your gift recipient loves going to the beach, use a beach bag or a beach bucket. These are just some ideas – get creative!

3. Select shore-related products. If you’re going with a specific theme, brainstorm ideas about what goes along with that theme. If you want a more generic type of basket, think in terms of what someone would use at the beach. There are certain items that would work with any type of theme, such as sunscreen, sunglasses and reusable water bottles, to name a few. If you’re not able to shop at the shore to purchase items before Easter, look online as many of your shore shops have websites from which you can order their products. Also, check out discount areas such as the dollar section of Target – they often have inexpensive seasonal items that would be perfect for a beach-themed gift (we checked yesterday, and they’re already out!)

4. Make good use of plastic Easter eggs. One of our favorite tricks has been to use larger eggs in which to hide goodies – it’s a great way to store a swim suit, beach toy or other item. They’re also good for storing gift cards and coupons for the activities they love to do at the shore. Expand your beach-themed gift beyond the basket and do an egg hunt using eggs filled with shore-related treats. Think smaller items like coins for use in arcades or parking meters and favorite shore candies (taffy, anyone?)

5. Gift the gift of experience. More and more shore retailers, restaurants and activity businesses are offering gift cards or coupons these days. These gifts are ideal, both for when you aren’t sure exactly what the person may want, or for a future unforgettable experience. Sea Isle City  recently began offering island-wide coupons for sale, featuring one coupon that can be used in a variety of different shops and restaurants throughout town. Cape May also offers coupons. Don’t forget to check out Groupon too, as sometimes shore businesses offer specials through this venue. If your gift recipient’s favorite establishment doesn’t offer gift cards or isn’t listed in a group coupon such as Sea Isle’s, Cape May’s or Groupon, make your own! There are many different customizable coupon-type formats you can find online to create one. Whether it’s for a meal in a favorite restaurant, a shopping spree in a shore shop or a water sports activity, your gift recipient is sure to love it.

6. Be sweet. Many of the seaside candy shops are open for business at this time of year, especially on weekends. And some offer online stores for you to purchase your favorite shore treats if you’re not able to get down before Easter. Why not include in their basket a favorite shore treat, such as a bag of salt water taffy or a pound of fudge? Some candy retailers also design their own Easter baskets, which are available for purchase and shipping through their websites.

7. Don’t forget the sunscreen! Regardless of whether you have a theme or not, one thing every shore lover needs is sunscreen. Give the gift of health and help them to stock up on sun protection for this coming summer.

If you want more inspirational ideas, check out our Beach-Themed Easter Basket post.

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