Easter Party Ideas
Easter marks the start of spring and is a sacred holiday for Christians worldwide. It signifies when Jesus Christ was resurrected from the grave to live again. But where did the Easter bunny and eggs fit into the Easter tradition?
The rabbit and eggs were symbols of fertility, immortality, and new life to commemorate Christ’s resurrection. In Germany, colored eggs were left in children’s baskets, and the custom was brought to America with German immigrants in the late 19th century.
Easter can be a fun time of year to celebrate the renewed growth of spring, regardless of your religious beliefs. Here are some ideas for an Easter celebration party.
TABLE DECORATIONS
Turn a recycled white sheet into a spectacular Easter tablecloth by sponge painting bunnies, baskets, and eggs in bright spring colors. Use textile paints so the tablecloth can be washed and used another year. Fabric paints are also available in glitter-colored squeeze applicators for decorating the sponged Easter eggs. Paint will need to dry for at least 24 hours before use.
Make a festive napkin ring by threading a sewing needle with narrow elastic thread and stringing jelly beans onto it. You may need to put a little vegetable oil on the needle to help it slide through the candy. Tie off the ends to form a circle and slide it over the rolled napkins for a cute way to dress up the table. Add a solid-colored doily under the plates for a festive way to dress up the table.
You can serve creamy lemon pie or light strawberry custard, strawberry almond pastry, or let the kids decorate personalized tulip cookies. The menu options are endless, but I suggest you keep the choices light and festive. Tableware does not need to match, but keep to a color theme of bright spring colors or soft pastels.
EASTER CRAFTS
Little girls love making their own Easter bonnets. Cut a large 12 1/2″ circle out of heavy artist poster board using a compass as your guide. Attach a wide satin ribbon to the middle of the circle with hot glue, leaving long trailing tails to tie the bonnet on. Have lots of decorative options available for embellishing the hats. Kids can make flowers, colored miniature cupcake baking cups, or doilies. To decorate the bonnets, you can also use adhesive dots, paint, glitter, pleated paper ribbon, lace remnants, or tulle.
Each child can make their own gingham Easter bunny or duck out of fabric, yarn, cotton batting, or fiberfill. Have the shapes of the animals pre-cut for the children, and place the right sides of the fabric out. Let the kids stitch yarn around the edge of the shape, leaving a 1″ opening to stuff the cotton filling. An adult can blind stitch the hole closed and help glue on buttons for the eyes and pom-poms for the nose. Use pinking shears to finish the edges.
Adults can also enjoy an Easter garden party. Invite friends to bring perennials for their gardens to exchange with other plants. Provide each guest with labels, paper bags, or plastic nursery containers. Let them take home the same number of plants that they brought, getting an affordable start on beautiful blooms.
by Rachel Webb
