Easter spending is on the rise

If you're looking for signs that our chilly economic situation is beginning to thaw, you may want to check out the family Easter basket.

According to figures recently released by the National Retail Federation (NRF), the average consumer will be spending more on everything to do with Easter this year. We're talking not just Easter candy, but clothing, greeting cards, decorations and flowers -- the whole shebang. The NRF's Easter Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey concluded that people will be spending, on average, $118.60 this year, compared to $116.59 a year ago.