peeptiniHere it comes! Easter Sunday is a mere 48 hours or so away. Who's ready to break into those Easter baskets now? Patience is a virtue, mamas. Come Monday morning, the kids will be back in school and you will be alone with that leftover Easter candy ... jelly beans, chocolate rabbits, and, yes, Peeps.

Oh, Peeps! Those marshmallow critters that seem to withstand the test of time ... my dad has been to known to eat some a year later without ill effects. Really. Not that I would recommend it, but that's pretty amazing. What's more amazing? We are a Peep-lovin' nation, buying more than 700 million Peeps (chick-, bunny-, and egg-shaped) every Easter.

So, the day after Easter Sunday, what are you gonna do with your Peeps? Don't know? How about one of these ideas ...

Make your own home movie -- Not sure where you may find the time, but this is actually something you can all do as a family. Break out the Peeps, create some outfits, mold some new Peep characters, and do some stop-action fun with the video thingy on your iPhone. I checked out some mini-movies over on YouTube. Loads of riffs on Star Wars, but my fave was this Project Runway-inspired flick.

Make a Peep-y drink -- At the heart of it, Peeps are sugar, pure gooey sweetness. Why not make some special Peep concoctions? I like this idea: just dissolve a Peep in a steaming hot cup of java. Stir it up 'til it gets all foamy and frothy and -- voila! -- a Peepuccino! It's 5 o'clock somewhere, why not make a Peeptini? Shake vanilla vodka, pineap­ple juice, pas­sion fruit juice, and a squeeze of fresh lemon in a martini shaker. Pour it into a glass and don with a Peep garnish!

Do some Peep-y crafts -- You can use those leftover Peeps at your next spring dinner party as placecard holders -- just stab with a toothpick and affix the namecard to each one. Keep the whole Peep decor going and make a centerpiece. Fill a clear vase with Peeps (staring outward, of course), then top it with some flowers. Okay, yeah, a bit kitschy, but it gives your guests something to chat about if the convo lulls.

And ladies, these are just ideas for Easter peeps. You can play with Peeps year-round. Remember, there are Halloween Peeps, Christmas Peeps, Valentine Peeps ... whew, I'm peeped out!

Do you like Peeps?

 

Image via wrestlingentropy/Flickr