Sometimes holidays can just sneak up on you and it can be overwhelming—especially if you are expected to host and feel very unprepared. Easter is a holiday that is a great opportunity to get family together, and since there is a fairly good gap of time since the December holiday season—and since there are elements of “newness” to spring, it’s a good time to think outside of the box. If you’re stumped for ideas, don’t let your bunny ears droop, I have you covered with some great ideas to host a memorable event for family and friends.
No muss, no fuss……
MAKE HARD-BOILED EGGS
Hard-boiled eggs are obviously a great Easter tradition, and the best part is that they are easy to make, perfect to hide, healthy and make an excellent snack in Monday’s lunch. Boil two dozen (or more, depending on how many guests you have) eggs and set up a draft station. Stickers, crayons, markers and food coloring make perfect dyes and a fun activity.
EASTER EGG HUNT
Buy some plastic eggs and small candies and give the Easter Bunny a run for his money! Hide them around the yard. And if most of your guests are adults, place a dollar bill in them and hide them, with the golden egg hiding a $20 bill. Everyone likes a good competition!
DÉCOR
Don’t bend over backwards for Easter décor, all you need to do is get fresh flowers and place them in vases around the house. Trader Joe’s has some reasonably priced flowers, or you could even pick fresh ones from the yard. Odds are after all the rain, you’ll have options right outside your window. Add a little variation and pops of color by putting different kinds of flowers in different sized, shaped and colored vases.
FOOD
If you don’t have time to create a huge menu of well-thought-out, complicated recipes to share, create a sandwich bar. Get different types of breads, various condiment options, a full plate of veggies, cheeses and deli meats and pair them with fruits, chips and salads like egg salad (hello, those hard-boiled eggs!), potato salads and pasta salads. This is fresh, filling and delicious! You can even add the loved charcuterie options like pickles, marinated artichokes, crackers, olives {I never meet an olive I didn’t love} and nuts.
DESSERT
Fresh fruit over vanilla or chocolate ice cream is a simple way to give both kids and adults a favorite that is light, delicious and satisfying. You could also get some store-bought sugar cookie dough and have the little ones (or grown-ups!) use Easter-themed cookie cutters to create delicious treats.
DRINKS
Toss together a quick mimosa bar! Get orange juice, mango juice and guava juice, Champagne and berries like strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. No muss, no fuss! It’s delicious, fruity, fitting to the holiday and refreshing.
ENTERTAINMENT
Need some Easter movies to have in the background or play as the day winds down? Try out these longtime favorites:
- “Rise of the Guardians”
- “The Ten Commandments”
- “Hop”
- “Easter Parade”
- “Ben-Hur”
It doesn’t take much to throw a fun event, and no matter your affiliation with the holiday, it is still a great opportunity to celebrate with the people you love, get a little creative, eat delicious food and have fun! There’s lots of fun ways to keep it simple and nothing that a quick trip to Trader Joe’s or Target won’t fix!
Enjoy the welcoming of a new season.
