Decorating for Easter can be an especially fun thing to do – saying goodbye to the cold of winter and welcoming the coming of spring. You can welcome springtime to your home by learning how to make great Easter decorations. Here’s a few to get started:
The first decoration most people think of when they think of Easter is the traditional Easter egg. Many people don’t realize how easy making their own dye really is – most people already have all the ingredients in their cupboard. So before you run out and buy the overpriced box of dye tablets, try this recipe:
Set out a cup for each color you want to do. For each color, add a teaspoon of white vinegar and 20 drops of food coloring to a ½ cup of boiling water. Dip the egg for about five minutes, but you can make them as light or dark as you want by adjusting the time.
The traditional method of preparing eggs is to hard-boil them (if you’re going to eat them, be sure to keep them in the refrigerator). But if you’d like to try something new, try making blown eggs. This method allows you to keep them longer.
To make blown eggs, carefully stick a needle in each end of the egg. While sticking the needle in, carefully move the needle around to break the egg yolk. Hold the egg above a bowl and blow in the other end; blow until the egg is empty (save the insides and you can cook the eggs in an omelet later, too). Handle the eggs carefully since blown eggs are much more fragile.
There are creative ways to display Easter eggs. The most common way is in an Easter basket, filled with plastic or paper grass. A fun spin on the traditional Easter basket is to grow real grass in a basket and then put the Easter eggs in it. You’ll have to plan a little in advance to have the basket ready, but the results are worth it.
To make a basket with real grass, you’ll need a basket (any type will work), wheatgrass seed (which can be picked up at most health food stores), aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and potting soil. About two or three weeks before you decorate for Easter, line the basket with foil and fill with soil. Sprinkle the seeds on the soil and cover with about ¼ inch of soil. Cover the basket with the plastic wrap and put in a warm place. Once you see little grass sprouts, take the plastic wrap off and water it when it appears to be dry. The grass grows pretty quickly and should be ready in time.
Another way to display your decorated eggs is to hang them as ornaments. Hanging eggs on tree branches is an old European custom. You can bring this tradition to your home easily. Start with blown and dyed eggs. Next, wrap some pretty ribbon around the egg and glue in place. You’ll want to cover the holes in the egg next, so on one end, glue on a bow or flower. On the other end, put a pin with a round tip through a loop of ribbon through the hole and glue it. To display the ornaments, put some freshly cut branches from a flowering fruit tree (like cherry blossoms) or a pussy willow in a vase (without water), and hang the ornaments. You’ll bring the outside indoors and give the home a breath of fresh spring air.
These ideas are just a start to the many other great Easter decorations you can make. With just a little creativity, a little skill, and a lot of pastel colors, you can welcome springtime into your home and enjoy the Easter holiday.