Americans are expected to spend $24.7 billion on Easter this year, with many families looking for ways to build the perfect basket and find the best chocolates without the stress.
Filling baskets has been Ashley Smith’s focus since 2018. As a mother and business owner, she knows how hectic an Easter Sunday celebration can get.
“One of the main reasons why I wanted to start making baskets is to fill them up with more goodies than just cardboard and plastic,” Smith said.
“My why is to build that gap to where you don’t have to stress about it,” Smith said.
To get her baskets filled, wrapped, and affordable, Smith starts her preparations early.
“I start as early as Christmas,” Smith said.
For families who missed that deadline, the National Retail Federation suggests using low-cost items from discount stores, like stickers and bubbles, to make a fuller basket. Parents can also repurpose containers, like a sand pail, instead of buying new baskets.
When push comes to shove, Smith suggests buying a premade basket.
“Really, the impact is that when a kid opens it, and it brings joy and laughter and peace to the holidays,” Smith said.
When it comes to filling those baskets, the National Confectioners Association says 84% of Easter shoppers plan to buy chocolate this year.
Wendy Matel, owner of Freese’s Chocolates, says her business has been a staple for many families in West Allis for nearly a century.
“We’ve been a tradition in a lot of people’s homes since 1928,” Matel said.
Matel is prepared for the holiday traffic.
“We make about 30,000 whipped cream and cream eggs,” Matel said.
She says the store originally started with seven varieties of the eggs.
“We’re down to vanilla, maple, and raspberry,” Matel said.
For families looking for a chocolate bunny at a fun price, experts recommend buying mini chocolates and hitting the sales. The National Retail Federation says many stores mark down their selection of treats in the final 48 hours before Easter. Shoppers can also mix and match chocolate and jelly beans.
Matel says they will keep the pace for the creamy eggs right through the holiday rush.
“We’ll continue to make them right up until Saturday,” Matel said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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