Costumes & Accessories (12) / Party Supplies (21)

Easter Party

Table of contents

Introduction

We all know Easter as a time of religious significance as well as that magical time of year when we get to have a few days off and spend some time with family and friends. It's a time that the kids love almost as much as Christmas, because it is the that time heralding the arrival of the Easter bunny and Easter egg hunts! And for those of you unaware as to the origins of Easter, the Easter bunny and why Easter-themed parties are so much fun, read on.

 

Also known in Greek as Pascha, Easter is one of the most significant festivals of the Christian religion. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday, two days after his crucifixion on Good Friday. And as with Christmas, there have been many symbols incorporated into this festive period such as Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny. Of course, the question so many people ask is why these figures have been incorporated into a religious event?

 

Well, they are not as insignificant as you might think. The alleged origin of the Easter Bunny is recorded as South-West Germany and Alsace, France. Both the Easter egg and the Easter Bunny are antiquated symbols of fertility. But while the tradition of the Easter Bunny has been recorded as early as the 1600's, the origins of Easter eggs have been lost in time. Naturally one has to keep in mind that the Easter period was also celebrated in other cultures and religions for different reasons.

 

It is said that many Christians dye their Easter eggs red as a symbol of blood, presumably that of Jesus Christ as well as a symbol of new life in the coming spring. In addition to red, there are also green Easter eggs that symbolize the new foliage of spring.

 

Nevertheless, today many nations in the world – regardless of religion or creed – celebrate this festive time. And to ensure that spirits soar and a good time is had by all, we’ll give you a couple of tips on organizing a fabulous Easter party.

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Easter Party Invitations

Next to the party itself, the invitations are the most important part of the whole event! We thought we’d do things a little different by giving you some ideas as to invitations that will not only look good, but be useful to your guests as well. Remember to include the following information in your invitation:

  • Party Name: Think of a catchy name that will go along with the theme of your party, such as “John & Angie’s Easter Feast”.

  • Salutation: An Example here would be “Dear Mr. & Mrs. Owen”.

  • Date & Time

  • Venue/Location

  • Dress Code

  • Contact Details

  • Additional information…

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Easter Flower Basket

As mentioned above, Easter is also a time to celebrate the coming of spring (depending which hemisphere you are in). As such, what would be better than to invite your friends and family to your Easter celebrations by giving them an invitation consisting of live flowers?

 

As you may have guessed, all you’ll need to do is go down to your local nursery and select potted flowers for each of the guests you would like to invite. Once you’ve done that, it’s time to work on the invitation itself.

 

While some people choose to make paper invitations and attach it to the pot, others prefer to change the appearance of the pot by painting the invitation on its outside. Some amazing color-schemes include gold on white, red on blue as well as red on white. But, we’ll leave that up to you.

 

Remember to include the name of your party, e.g. “John & Jane’s Easter Bash” as well as the date, time and place. It might be a good idea to include your contact details on the other side of the pot or on the base of the pot as to ensure that this invitation retains its ornamental value.

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Serviette Rings

An Easter serviette ring invitation is one that can be kept for life and will make a beautiful ornament. And best of all, it’s quite easy to make with a hundred different variations on the subject. Here are a couple of ideas:

 

Homemade: Make the serviette rings yourself by using natural twine and weaving them into one another. Once that is done, pop down to your local retailer and get your hands on a couple of serviettes – preferably made from white material.

 

Now, seeing as you’ve woven the serviette rings the invitation will have to go on the serviettes themselves. For that purpose we recommend that you get a computer design ready and have a professional printer print them on the serviettes.

 

Successful designs include those with an Easter or a spring motif along with the details of the party.

 

Store bought: For those with a bigger budget, buying stainless steel or silver serviette rings will be no problem. Remember to buy the serviettes too – for those intending to print the invitation on the serviette, white would be best. Should you be intent on having the party invitation engraved on the serviette rings, your serviettes may be any color of your choice.

 

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Oversized Easter Egg

The oversized Easter egg is one sure to astound your guests, but may require a little bit of effort and, depending on your budget, might require a bit of careful planning.

 

For this idea you’ll need an empty ostrich egg for each of the individual guests, couples or families that will be attending. These can be acquired from most African curios shops or even bought off the internet.

 

Once you’ve got the eggs, all you’ll need to do is decorate it with the details of your party. Take care to note that there are certain steps to painting an ostrich egg. Many artists recommend using an acrylic paint for the design. Once finished, cover your Easter oversized Easter egg invitation with a couple of layers of acrylic varnish.

 

Should you have any difficulty with the design, ask someone who you know to be creative and good at painting.

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Easter Party Dress Code

Due to the religious element connected to Easter, many find that an Easter celebration is best attended in their Sunday best. Though this is entirely up you and the tone of your party.

Easter Party Decorations

Easter party decorations are plentiful, especially when it’s that time of the year. For those who don’t feel like making their own Easter decorations, just pop into your local retailer and buy the appropriate decorations.

 

Should you see yourself as a D.I.Y. professional, there are a multitude of things that you can do to set the appropriate mood. Here are a couple of ideas:

  • Streamers: Easter is a time for many different colors and textures. When you buy your streamers, it’s best to buy them in pastel colors.

  • Easter Tree: Yes, there are trees especially for Easter. This is as easy as going down to your local nursery and buying the potted tree. The fun comes in making your own Easter egg and Easter Bunny decorations.

  • Paper Mache Easter Eggs: Well, the name says it all. Decorate your own Easter Eggs made of nothing but a mache paste made of two parts flour for every one part water and a bit of salt (the mixture has to be thick and pasty, so adjust your measurements accordingly). Here’s a tip: to get a hollow shape, use a balloon.

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Easter Party Guest Arrival & Announcement

To announce your guests, you may use any form that will fit in with your party. Sometimes a simple introduction to all the already-present guests is all that’s required.

Easter Party Favors

For those smashing festive Easter party favors, here are a couple of ideas that your guests might find particularly enjoyable. And all you’ll need to do, should you find yourself with limited culinary skills, is run down to your local candy store:

 

The Easter Basket: As we all know the Easter Bunny travels the globe, much like Santa, handing out delicious chocolate Easter eggs. Surprise your guests with a delightful little basket filled with the most piquant little Easter eggs.

 

Easter Mugs: Give your guests the gift of an Easter mug! Buy them from your local retailer already decorated or in a plain color if you want to decorate them yourself.

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Easter Party Activities

Yes you’re all adults, but who says adults can’t have some fun? As such, the activities listed below should provide hours of entertainment and ensure that a good time is had by all.

Cryptic Treasure Hunt

Similar to the classic Easter egg hunt, entertain your guests by setting them on a quest to find a hidden treasure. Just remember to make it a bit more challenging by giving them a couple of vague cryptic clues.

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Easter Charades

Charades remains a fun game and a source of great entertainment. Pair your guests and set them competing against each other while trying to guess the charade.

Impromptu Play

Sure to be a winner, this will always remain a classic Easter activity. Assign each of your guests a role according to a preconceived idea. The object of this activity is just to set the initial scene and to explain to the characters where they are and what situation they find themselves in. As it is Easter, it might be good to start off with a related idea, such as that of the pilgrims at Plymouth, Massachusetts.

 

To make this a fond memory for all to laugh about years later, don’t forget to aim a recording camera at the stage.

Pin The Tail On The… Bunny?

Who’s up for a game of pin the tail on the Easter bunny? We’ve all played similar games as children, so why not as adults? Like all the other Easter activities, this is a game that both young and old will be able to enjoy.

 

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Food & Drink

Stuck on ideas for Easter cuisine? Below you'll find a couple of traditional Easter foods that have been enjoyed by friends and family for centuries. Once again, if you don't feel up to the culinary task, simply pop down to your local food market to see if they sell them ready-cooked.

 

Hot Cross Buns are an Easter favorite in many parts of the world. These sweet little buns were traditionally baked in honor of the goddess Eostre who was celebrated at the spring equinox.

 

Another snack you'll be able to serve your guests is of course the colored boiled egg. To make this dish a little more interesting, serve some affordable caviar.

 

As for traditional Easter main courses, you have a choice between two traditional dishes: roast lamb or ham. Where the latter dates back to the first Jewish Passover where the sacrificial lamb was slaughtered and eaten, the latter is a traditional American Easter cuisine.

 

All these dishes can be enjoyed with a variety of wines which you will be able to pick according to the tastes of your guests or even some sweet chocolate beverages for dessert.

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