Make way for Easter! This holiday always follows close on the heels of the first day of spring, which means its time to thaw out that creativity and host a fresh and unique Easter dinner for family, friends or both. We’ve got the most egg-cellent inspiration for your do, from springy invitations to parting gifts that would make the Easter bunny proud!
Invitations
Your Easter dinner invite list may include just immediate family, in which case it’s okay to make a few calls or send a few emails to inform potential attendees of the specifics of your gathering. But if you’re branching out and including friends and more distant relatives – and you’ve got the time – it’s always nice to send traditional invitations in the mail. Head to your favourite papery in search of spring inspired note cards made with real pressed flowers. Or, get guests in a spring-like state of mind by making these garden greeting invitations.
Decor and Table Setting
Tulips are back! Sure, they were around all winter, but those ones were tired and crumpled. Come March, they’re available fresh and gorgeous at your local florist or garden stand. For easy floral decor accents, buy a bunch of tulips in your favourite shade. Put an inch or two of water in three or four tall, clear glass vases and slip a few tulips inside each one so the buds lean against the glass and don’t poke out the top. This elegant and easy floral arrangement makes a simple style statement and looks great on dining or buffet tables.
Spring flowers can be used to brighten up the whole house for your gathering. Buy some potted crocuses or hyacinth and put them in pretty pots. Then place a plant in every room, including the bathroom. Your guests will be reminded of the advent of spring at every turn – and, you can take these outside and plant them once the ground thaws!
Citrus fruits are a simple way to add spring inspired colour, fragrance and warmth to a table. This centrepiece is a no brainer: pile lemons and limes in a large, clear glass bowl. Put it in the centre of the table. Arrange a few tea lights around the bowl, if you’d like. And you’re done!
Finally, spring is all about buds, which are the inspiration behind this decor idea: buy a bouquet of full bodied blooms, such as roses, peonies, tulips, daisies or ranunculus. You can also grab a little greenery, but that’s optional. Search the house for very small vases or bowls. Even miniature candle holders will do in a pinch. Fill each vase or makeshift container about ¾ with water. Hold your bloom next to the container to be sure you’ve got the height right, and clip the stem so the base of each flower sits on the mouth of the container and no stem is visible. Add a little greenery, if desired, or tie botanical green or sunny yellow bows around the base of each vase. Place these little potted buds around the areas guests are most likely to congregate. Or, put one beside each place setting!
Tunes
Make a play list for your Easter party that’s uplifting and stimulating – without being invasive. Try out a blend of old and new by inviting these artists to your gathering en masse:
• Ray Charles
• Sugar Ray
• Three Dog Night
• Gavin DeGraw
• The Jackson 5
• Jamie Cullum
• The Temptations
• Plain White T’s
• Buddy Holly
Looking for something a little more traditional? Opt for some of these classical suggestions, instead:
• Allegro – Vivaldi
• I. Allegro – Johann Sebastian Bach
• Hornpipe – Georg Philipp Telemann
• Andante and Variations – Muzio Clementi
• Adagio – Franz Joseph Haydn
• By the River – Frederick Delius
• Air on a G String – Johann Sebastian Bach
The Menu
Easter isn’t necessarily about guests gorging on heavy food. Instead, provide a simple meal that’s light without being insubstantial and relies on the flavours of spring for its tasty essence. Here are some savvy spring dish ideas, courtesy of FoodTV.ca:
Starters and First Courses:
Warm Dandelion Salad With Bacon
Mushroom Raviolis
Spring Risotto With Peas and Zucchini
Cold Spring Pea Soup
Mains:
Ragout of Poached Chicken, Asparagus and Morels
Pan Seared Salmon With Fork Mashed Olive Oil Potatoes, Crispy Leeks and Red Wine Sauce
Vignole (Spring Vegetable Stew)
Apricot Glazed Rack of Lamb
Sides:
Herb Baked Artichokes
Sautéed Spinach
Snap Pea and Brussels Sprout Sautee
Desserts:
Shortcakes With Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
Key Lime Pie
Layered Lemon Cakes
Farewell Favours
As usual, it’s nice to offer leftovers to guests – especially those with new babies or life circumstances that may mean they don’t have a lot of time to cook – so be sure to have plenty of reusable containers on-hand. Favours are always a lovely gesture as well. A few ideas:
Framed Flowers and Foliage
Create miniature versions of this HGTV.ca project to remind your guests of the nearness of spring flower season.
Citrus Fruit Votives
Let your light shine on by making each guest their own fruity votive holder, complete with tea light. These can also be used to decorate your table, especially if you go with the easy citrus centrepiece.
Easter Egg Critters
Pint-sized guests – and their parents – are sure to get a kick out of these adorable crafty critters, perfect to pack carefully in a small box with tissue paper and give as a favour.
Paper Flowers
These pretty paper flowers are sure to inspire, and can also be used as part of your table decor, then passed out to guests as they depart.