Celebrate Easter with these simple décor ideas for your table and event

Easter is being celebrated early this year at the end of March. Unlike with Valentine’s Day and Christmas Day which are celebrated on the same date every day, Easter dates change every year depending on the moon. The historical reason for this is that the death of Jesus occurred around the Jewish Passover, which is traditionally held on first full moon following the vernal equinox. As the full moon can vary in each time zone, the Church said that they would use the 14th day of the lunar month instead – the Paschal Full Moon – and host Easter Day on the following Sunday, hence the dates of Easter change every year.

The celebration of Easter is synonymous with spring, rabbits, chocolate and eggs. Like most celebrations we in the Southern hemisphere have been influenced by the Northern Hemispheres’ traditions. Easter generally falls around the seasons of Autumn in the Southern Hemispheres and Spring in the Northern Hemispheres, yet we still decorate with “Spring” elements. The symbolism attached to Easter includes Spring, rabbits and baby animals which are synonymous with rebirth and fertility and the egg is a pagan symbol of new life which symbolises the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Now that we know why these decorative elements are used around Easter, you can have fun decorating your family table and home with these traditional icons. Pastel colours are a wonderful way of bringing this celebration of Easter to life, we suggest using a variety of pastel colours to reflect the colours of Spring such as lilac, baby blue, sage green and sunshine yellow. The first element that creates a statement is your tablecloth, chose a colour and pair your napkins (fabric or paper) in a complimentary colour, the combination of tablecloth and napkins will set the tone for your theme.

Flowers add vibrancy, colour and life to your table so have fun with these. You can place the flowers in numerous small vases down the centre of the table or in large vases as a centrepiece. If you would like to make a statement with your floral centrepieces try the following DIY tip. Get two similar shaped glass vases (one smaller than the other than can fit into the bigger vase). Place the smaller vase into the other one. Fill the gap between the two vases with jellybean’s or smarties all the way to the top! Add some water to the smaller vase and arrange your flowers in that smaller vase. When you look at the arrangement your vase will be filled with jellybean’s and smarties that are bright and colourful and can be enjoyed later.

Once you have your colour scheme feel free to add decorative elements such as ceramic rabbits, natural wreaths (which you can make from willow branches or other wooden elements), eggs and chickens. We suggest adding bowls of chocolate or real eggs positioned in nests or along the table as decorative and additional treats to enjoy during your celebratory meal.

Easter’s most recognisable shape/ symbol is the egg, this symbol of rebirth can be enjoyed in a meal or as a chocolate treat. Easter brings family and friends together (generally around the dining room table). We suggest doing a little DIY activity together seated around the table with your loved ones. Allocate every guest an egg (preferably a hollowed shell that has been washed) and provide some paint and adornments to the table. When everyone is seated around the table let everyone decorate their own Easter eggs – this is a great way to bring some fun and creativity to your event. When everyone sits around together doing an activity it brings people closer together and creates a sense of family and unity.

No one is too young nor too old to participate in an Easter egg hunt! Before your guests arrive hide treats around the garden and let everyone hunt for a bounty of chocolate decadence. We can advise writing names on the eggs to ensure the enthusiast relative does not land up with all the treats and the rest of the party lands up with nothing. An Easter egg hunt is fun for the whole family – tapping into your inner child and feeding your chocolate craving.

Easter occurs over a long weekend so enjoy the time spent with family and friends. Try not spend all your time  doing the dishes or cooking, prepare as much as you can ahead of time so you have time to relax and enjoy the season with your loved ones. We wish you all a Happy Easter.