Bunny Money Along with the May flowers, April showers bring a very profitable holiday season.

Whether consumers are celebrating the reaffirmation of faith orsimply the return of spring, Easter is essentially about the dawnof a better day. In light of the somber year they witnessed in2001, retail experts and entrepreneurs alike are looking forward tothis Easter being as popular as ever.

"[Easter] signals a new beginning," says AdrienneSobroza, product manager for Papel Giftware, A Cast Art Company.Deb Ratano, the company's director of marketing, says she seesthat new-beginning theme coming through in more and more familycelebrations each year. And because there's a long buildup tothe actual day, entrepreneurs can take advantage of the strongselling potential for a longer time span with Easter products thanthey can with a one-day event like Valentine's Day. That'sgood news for Papel Giftware. The Monroe Township, New Jersey-basedcompany distributes outdoor decorating and home décor itemssuch as table settings, frames and wind chimes featuringhand-painted pansies; an abundance of chick, bunny and angelfigurines and plush toys; and religious mementos, which all fitnicely into the Easter theme.

As families increasingly get together over the Easter holiday,Ratano expects one trend entrepreneurs will be taking advantage ofis that more people will be buying gifts to give to their hosts."A lot of people are moving away from candy and towardgifts," she says.