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What are Plastic Easter Eggs?
Plastic Easter eggs are egg-shaped, hollow plastic shells used for filling with candy for egg hunts on Easter Sunday. Just as the modern Christmas celebration involves Santa Claus and gifts, the modern Easter celebration involves the Easter Bunny and colored eggs.
Easter is the celebration of the Christian belief that Jesus Christ was resurrected a few days after he was crucified by the Romans. Easter always occurs between late March and late April, but the exact date changes each year as it depends on moon cycles in the Paschal calendar. Easter egg hunts during Easter celebrations are often enjoyed by Christians and non-Christians alike and plastic Easter eggs are popular containers to hold candy eggs.
The use of plastic Easter eggs allows the candy to be hidden outdoors, rain or shine. The plastic outer shell of the egg helps protect the candy that is added inside from damp grass or dirt from gardens. Hard boiled colored chicken eggs aren't usually placed inside the plastic Easter eggs, but rather foil-wrapped Easter chocolate or candy is mostly used to fill the eggs. Some Easter egg hunts feature only candy eggs while others include hard boiled dyed chicken eggs to hunt for as well.
Plastic Easter eggs are usually sold in bags of six or more and are available in several different sizes and colors. The colors of plastic Easter eggs may be bright or pastel but orange, pink, blue, purple, yellow and green are the most common colors used for both types. Packages of a single color are usually available, but bags of multi-colored plastic Easter eggs tend to be more common. A plastic Easter egg opens in the middle and closes by snapping the two halves back together.
Another benefit of plastic Easter eggs is that they are quite sturdy so they may be able to be used for several Easters. Even if they're just used for one Easter holiday, plastic Easter eggs are quite inexpensive and add a lot of fun and color to Easter egg hunts and other celebrations. One easy yet festive holiday idea is to use a filled plastic Easter egg as a place setting indicator at an Easter party or brunch. A marker can be used to write each guest's name on their egg.
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![Two young boys]()
Two young boys
Discussion Comments
I used to use real hard boiled eggs for Easter egg hunts, but that started becoming a little too expensive over the years. Some children were getting sick after eating those eggs, even though we told them not to do it. I decided to buy large plastic Easter eggs a few years ago.
The kids still enjoy decorating plastic Easter eggs, even if they don't get to dip them in dye. I buy all sort of stickers they can apply to the eggs, along with some decorative paper and glue. They have to fill the eggs up with toys and candy first, then decorate the outside shell.
We'll have contests for best decorations, then the adults will go out and hide all of those eggs. Sometimes they'll be in plain sight, for younger hunters, and sometimes they will be hidden almost too well. Everyone gets at least one egg, even if they didn't find it in the field.
Our church has an Easter egg hunt every year, and we have found that cheap plastic Easter eggs can be found at those "Everything's a Dollar" kind of stores. We stuff each plastic egg with wrapped candy and small toys we order from a wholesale supply catalog. Since it's a church event, we try to find something religious to include in the egg, like a picture of Jesus.
Since we can buy plastic Easter Eggs cheaply, we don't ask the children to return the eggs for recycling. Whatever they find is theirs to keep. Sometimes I suggest buying a few jumbo plastic Easter eggs and giving everyone clues to their locations. There would be bigger prizes in those eggs, but they would also be hidden better.
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