The problem with Lent is that it’s followed by rather a lot of feasting. Easter proves to be an excellent excuse for overindulgence and for those watching their own weight or trying to ensure their kids don’t eat a month’s worth of sugar over a single Holy Week, it can be a trying time. If you still want to give the family Easter gifts but would like to avoid the ubiquitous chocolate eggs, here are some seasonal ideas that won’t break the bank … or the scales.

Personalised Easter poster from www.notonthehighstreet.com.

Fly them to the moon

For innovative Easter craft kits, try www. yellowmoon.org.uk. Choose from ‘Scratch Art Egg or Cross Decorations’ (the black wax surface of the paper scratches off to reveal bright patterns) – €4 for 12, raffia basket weaving kits – €7 for four or colourful egg-shaped candle kits – €18 for 10, among a host of other products. Shipping to Malta starts from €8 and for every purchase you make you can select a charity to receive a cash-back of up to 20 per cent.

Great Malta

Have you ever wanted to fly a small plane over Malta? Or perhaps you’d rather try rock climbing or paintballing? www.greatmalta.com has a huge range of ex-periences on offer at reasonable prices. At the lower end of the price scale, a Sunday karting session for kids costs €15 or you can go crazy and buy your partner a package of 10 boat dives for €316. There’s pretty much everything in between and you are bound to find an Easter activity that suits everyone.

All washed up

The Soap Café’s fabulously realistic Easter cupcakes are a visual treat, perfect as an Easter present. They also make soaps with personalised messages along with a range of products for sensitive skin, ideal for new mums, babies and anyone with a skin condition. They’ll custom make a gorgeous basket of gifts too if you like. This cute little shop is located at 46, St Mary Street, Sliema, but you can also shop online at www.soapcafemalta.com. The company caters for vegans, prides itself on using local produce in their soaps, lotions and balms and keeps their products free from mineral oils, parabens and SLSs.

Love bunny

For a sweet treat with zero calories, visit www.notonthehighstreet.com. They have a pair of sterling silver bunny ear studs for €17.43 or tiny little chick necklaces for €30.68. Their personalised, colour-in Easter poster is also brilliant for children... the caption can include your child’s name and the felt tips will keep them busy all day long. Delivery costs to Malta vary according to the item selected.

Trying to ensure their kids don’t eat a month’s worth of sugar over a single week, can be a trying time

Hop to it

Rainbowpieclothing on Etsy offers a super-cute child’s T-shirt with the Easter bunny at the top and your child’s name below. Each shirt is handmade to order and you can select from a range of sizes (www.etsy.com/listing/180447216).

DIY Easter

Show your love at Easter with this simple hand made gift. Just hard-boil an egg, carefully crack open the top, hollow out the interior and then refill it with soil and some seeds; cress does well, or you could try lavender or mint. If you plan in advance (and remember to water them), the seedlings will be up before you give the gift, but last minute offerings will have the element of surprise. Kids can use markers to decorate the egg itself too. If you’re feeling extra lazy, the Egglings company have done it for you, using an egg lookalike pot made of a fine, white bisque with the seeds already sown inside. Find them on www.Amazon.co.uk from around €7.

Let the kids go wild with these washable felt pens.

Playing at Easter

To capture the fertile spirit of Easter without the edibles, try Playmobil’s ‘Easter Egg on the Playground’. The egg contains a couple of Playmobil characters along with a rocking animals, a sandburg, a scooter, a sandcastle and a sand toy. Available on www.amazon.co.uk for €23.

Hold it

Combining the chick and the egg theme, www.lakeland.co.uk are offering sweet little ‘magpie birdy’ egg cups emblazoned with bird images (€21). You can buy cake tins (€35 for a set of three) and mugs (€11.75) in a similar design. They also have ‘love birds’ measuring cups, which are surprisingly useful for anyone that likes to use American recipes based on cups rather than weight (€23.50). My favourite product, however, is their Doodle Bunting, a series of 16 flags strung together that your kids can decorate with the washable pens supplied. When they are bored with the Easter designs they did, just throw the flags in the washer for a new blank canvas (€21). Delivery to Malta costs around €10.