Welcome to Writer Tips

Easter crafts

Easter crafts abound! See what crafts are being done at your local kids' organizations (YMCA, Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts). There are lots of great picture shots here. What are the plans for their crafts? What about senior citizen organizations? Are they making items for their grandchildren? Where did the craft ideas come from? Books and magazines? Or have they been handed down for generations? School art teachers have a fantastic array of craft ideas they may share with you.

Easter - entertainment

Entertaining guests and children at your get-togethers. Before and after dinner games, setting up special areas, putting up breakable treasures, organizing Easter egg hunts, favors for all guests. Renting videos, playing games, letting them create crafts. Does anyone in the family do stand-up comic routines, sing or dance? Maybe a talent show is in order.

Easter - the religion

The religious side of Easter – what Easter is really all about. Is this a great turnout day for churches? What events are planned for area churches? Do many people feel that people go to church this day just to see what new clothes other people are wearing? Are any special treats given at church on Easter?

Easter - best sellers

What items are the best Easter sellers? What about Easter collectibles? What kinds of items are being bought now to be handed down through the generations? What companies (like Hallmark) yearly distribute Easter collectibles and are past items worth big money now? Easter baskets that bring in big money. Collectible Easter items being sold at online auctions. What Easter decorations are most popular? Wall decorations, door liners, window prints, stuffed animals, etc.

All about Easter

Why does the egg symbolize Easter? And why is ham the traditional dinner? Why do we hunt eggs and associate it with a bunny? What are the legends and how did they start? Have any of the legends changed over the years?

Easter egg hunt planning

Easter egg hunt planning. Does your town have a giant Easter Egg Hunt for the children? Interview someone who has planned this hunt year after year. How hard is it to find a place to hide the hundreds of eggs? Is there a difficulty level for various ages? What are the prizes and who donates them? Is the turnout growing? Who hides the eggs and what happens if bad weather comes? What size turnout do they expect? What kinds of eggs are used? How many eggs?

Getting an Easter pet

The popularity of Easter pets – chicks and rabbits (and others) – do they make good pets? What do you need to know to raise them? Food and habitat – do they need any special care? Do they carry any communicable diseases? Can they be taught tricks? What happens when the pet recipient grows tired of it? How long do these animals tend to live? Do they need any kind of shots? Can they cause injuries? Find some Easter pets that are several years old and have the same owners.

Easter cookbook

How to start your own holiday cookbook to distribute among family members. A working cookbook to hand down to generations to come. Computer programs that can give you calorie content, fat content and other nutritional information. Collecting recipes so your family doesn't lose the great recipes from traditional dinners. How to organize the recipes, giving credit for each recipe, clipart URLs, ways to create your cookbook and distribute it.

Creating your own Easter egg hunts

Creating your own Easter egg hunts. Planning a “prize” egg and what the prize will be. Using special eggs for hiding. Does the Easter bunny hide his eggs on the inside or the outside? Does he hide them late at night or early in the morning? If it's outside, what is done for protection of the eggs? Easter egg traditions in various households. What traditions have been handed down in several households?

Make your own candies

Making your own candies for the Easter basket. All about chocolate. It's now been announced that chocolate can be good for you! Molds available, recipes, kinds of chocolate, copycat recipes for candies like Almond Joy, Snickers, etc. How to wrap the candies. How long will they stay fresh? Should they be refrigerated? Diabetic candy recipes. Low fat candies - low carbohydrate candies. How to make your own chocolate covered cherries and suckers. Now that you´ve bought candy molds -- what else can you do with them? (For instance, they´ll make great soap molds, too. Or crayon molds.)

Taking great Easter pictures

How to take terrific Easter pictures. All that Easter finery – fashions, baskets, hunts, kids, guests, relatives, table settings – all need pictures taken. Tips and tricks of great pictures – close-ups, candids, portraits, inside or outside, flash tips, eliminating red eye, regular vs. digital, getting copies to all guests (perhaps in a newsletter or online). Don't forget to take pictures before the event and after the event. Picture possibilities are everywhere! And don´t forget afterwards - label all the pictures, give tips on scrapbooking and ways to save these treasured pictures.

Easter leftovers

Recipes for leftover boiled eggs. The correct way to keep your eggs from spoiling. How to boil the eggs so they peel easily. Is it safe to eat the egg dye when it leaks through? How can you tell if an egg is bad before you boil and use it? How to buy fresh eggs - getting the right size egg for your crafts or coloring.

Planning the Easter dinner feast

The great Easter dinner! How do you plan an Easter dinner for a large family? How do you decide who brings what? Does everyone donate money and one person buys it all? Who cooks? Is it covered dish? How do you keep the guests from feeling others don't pull their weight? The seating arrangements – who get the head of the table? Where do the kids sit? How many tables are needed? Who does the dishes? How do you handle everyone wanting to take the leftovers? Who gets to take plates to other people? Is there a time set for dinner - and what happens if someone is late – do you wait or eat? Any special rules at the table? Any taboo conversational subjects? How many dinners have been disasters? Disaster stories. Do some of your guests have to alternate between homes of relatives and eat more than once? Is dinner always at a certain home? What time is dinner? How various families handle these situations. Are guests (not family) invited? Do they bring a dish or offer money toward the food?

Easter fashions

Easter fashions in your area. You can get some great shots of people buying their Easter wear – a fashion show in pictures. Styles in your area from older to younger. How is your area keeping up with the fashion industry. Do people still wear Easter bonnets? Are Easter hats in fashion? What accessories are most popular? Has your city caught up with the "in" cities and television? What´s "in" in Easter finery this year.

Easter baskets

Creating your own Easter baskets – various baskets available – what to use other than a basket (such as a sand pail, a lunchbox, a decorative box). Outer wrappings, bows, creative insides – suggestions for items to put in the basket. Keeping it all on a budget. Dollar store treasures. Using healthy foods instead of candies – a vegetarian Easter basket. Store-bought versus homemade. What kinds, if any, toy suggestions for the basket. Where does the Easter bunny leave the basket? What protection does it have if left outside?

Easter clipart

One thing you can put in your own articles is Easter clipart. As long as you're looking, why not write an article on finding free clipart to use in Easter holiday newsletters and family correspondence, cards, dinner place cards, to use on Easter eggs, coloring pages for the little ones, envelopes, and decorations for the house.

Easter songs

Easter songs – “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” and “In Your Easter Bonnet”. What others can you think of? Are there any new Easter songs? Where can you hear these songs? Who made them famous? Are they available now on tape or CD – or just hand-me-down songs sung to family members over the years? Are vinyls of these songs available? Any worth a lot of money?

Make your own Easter cards

The popularity of Easter cards? Do you send them? Or receive any? Which family member tends to get the most cards? Mom? Girlfriend? Kids? Men or women? What´s the most popular? Religious cards or humorous cards? Include URLs to get Easter clipart for making your own cards. Include verses you´ve created or ideas and rhyming words for your readers to make their own verses. How to write for card companies - how to submit your Easter cards for next year.