Toys are taking the place of some of the candy

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The average American will spend $102 on Easter items this year.

By ANGIE SCHMITT

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

With 10 sons and one daughter, Lisa White, 35, of Struthers, buys her Easter candy in bulk.

This year, even with a lot of baskets to fill, White's children are in store for a little something extra.

"The older ones wanted a jumbo pack of fireworks," she said. "The younger ones want 'Happy Feet' the DVD."

White is among a growing population of parents who go beyond marshmallow peeps and Cadbury Creme Eggs when stocking their children's Easter baskets.

Besides jelly beans, chocolate and bubble gum, Michelle Scarano's children can expect an item or two that won't arouse their dentist's disapproval.

"They get toys," said the 31-year-old Boardman resident. "Usually it's little movies, cards and games."

Boardman resident Nicole Holt's four children will find a gift certificate to their favorite store, Build-A-Bear, among their M&M-filled Easter eggs and bunny-shaped suckers. Easter toys are part of the tradition in the Holt family, said the 31-year-old. The gift card will allow her kids to design their own teddy bears at the store at Southern Park Mall.

"We usually do one large toy and a little bit of candy," she said.

Market for candy

Easter continues to be an important time of year for candy makers. Americans are expected to spend about $1.8 billion on Easter candy this year. About 60 million chocolate bunnies and about 1 billion marshmallow peeps were produced this year for the occasion, the National Confectioners Association reports.

But candy is just the tip of the iceberg.

Toys, Easter lilies, church clothing and Easter cards, as well as candy, will cost the average American about $102 each this Easter, according to the National Retail Federation.

Few people know the Easter market better than Dan Zippie, manager of Kraynak's in Hermitage, Pa. Selling, toys, candy, flowers and home decor, Zippie describes the store as a "one-stop shop for Easter." It's known for its Easter and Christmas displays.

Zippie said the Kraynak's team is aware many parents have begun supplementing their children's' baskets with toys. The store has even devoted an aisle by its Easter baskets for merchandise Kraynak's employees call "basket-stuffers."

Crayons, Silly Putty, yo-yos and coloring books are taking up space once reserved for Easter grass, said Zippie.

"We are selling the candy, but there's more toys going into the baskets," he said. The hottest toys for this Easter season are Webkinz plush pets and Thomas the Tank Engine train sets, said Zippie.

At the Toys "R" Us store on Boardman-Poland Road in Boardman, the shelves have been stocked with gift baskets. Manager Adam Sabol said the store starts getting busy for the Easter season every year after Palm Sunday.

"It's almost like Christmas," he said.

aschmitt@vindy.com

Sunday, April 8, 2007