Is there an age limit on Easter baskets and hunts? As we drove to my grandma's house to celebrate Easter one week early, I pondered this question. Would this year be the year that I was officially too old for the hunt for filled plastic eggs to place in my color-coordinated Easter basket? Would Grandma think that a college freshman would think herself too cool for such a tradition? I knew that if I had "aged out" of the Easter festivities then I would have to take it like an adult, but I knew I'd secretly be devastated.

Well, good news! It turned out that my grandma knows something very important: college kids are not too old for Easter egg hunts or Easter baskets! If you are a parent or a grandparent and you're facing this as a dilemma in your life, let me try to convince you to vote Pro-Easter Basket this year for your college student.

First of all, we college students are in a state of transition between childhood and adulthood. We really are doing our best to handle the new responsibilities of living away from home, setting our own study hours, and buying our own shampoo and late-night Taco Bell. But here's the thing: we're not quite ready to say goodbye to the joys and special celebrations of childhood. Once in a while, it's fun to forget about that upcoming exam or presentation and to embrace a tradition that takes us back to when we were eight and when the world was simpler.

Next, everyone loves surprises. There is just something so exciting about shaking that wonderful little purple, plastic egg, wondering what could possibly be inside, and cracking it open to reveal the treasure. Whether it's ten loose jelly beans, a bite-sized Snickers, or a crumpled dollar bill, it feels like striking it rich! It's a well-documented fact that college students enjoy candy (pretty much any kind!) and those few extra dollars can buy a treat at Starbucks for those early 8 a.ms.

Lastly, it's family bonding time! Grandma thinks of every one of her grandchildren as she fills the eggs. She has her sons (our dads) hide the eggs, and they make it competitive as to who can find the best hiding spots. In our toddler years, they pointed out the easy hiding spots. Now that we're older, they mock us if we need clues. Grandma and Grandpa are following along, taking pictures and absorbing the laughter.

There will come a time when we will be the ones buying the plastic eggs, filling them with treats, selecting the perfect chocolate bunny, and creating the beauty of an overflowing Easter basket for the next generation. For now, however, it's pretty special to keep one foot in childhood and to enjoy the Easter treats and surprises.

Thanks, Grandma, for knowing that college students still want to be in on the fun!

P.S. With grad school, I figure I have at least five more years of Easter egg hunts! :)