Decorating Your Home for Easter
Maybe you think first of egg hunts and baskets filled with chocolate treasures. Or maybe your childhood memories include church services and a big lunch afterwards with your family. Maybe you dye the best eggs in the house. However Easter may have looked in your family growing up, it’s certainly a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and decorate as friends and family come together each spring. Easter falls on a different Sunday between March 22 and April 25 every year, but luckily for all of us, Easter decor can last throughout the springtime! Read on to learn a bit about why we celebrate the holiday of Easter and how you can decorate your home beautifully for the springtime.
Why We Celebrate Easter
Easter Sunday has been celebrated as a Christian holiday all the way back to the first century to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It has been celebrated all around the world ever since. Many of the traditions and decorations that we associate with Easter were added along the way. The emphasis on eggs around Easter and especially dying eggs actually started in the 12th century! According to Britannica, at that time people were supposed to wait and not eat eggs during Holy Week – the week leading up to Easter Sunday – so everyone would save the eggs that their chickens lay. These eggs were kept and eaten at the Easter feast, making them special – Easter eggs. That’s when people started decorating them in preparation for the holiday, and we’ve been doing it ever since! Britannica adds that “The egg itself became a symbol of the Resurrection. Just as Jesus rose from the tomb, the egg symbolizes new life emerging from the eggshell.” So that explains the eggs, but the association of Easter with a bunny didn’t start until the 17th century. You might not know that other countries have other traditional animals that deliver eggs to children on Easter, like a fox in Westphalia and a cuckoo in Switzerland. Sounds a bit more exciting and maybe a little more dangerous too!
At the end of the day, whether you celebrate Easter in its original Christian context or just celebrate it for the springtime, the Easter holiday is about new life and being thankful for the good things in our lives. That makes it worth celebrating! So let’s get to decorating.
Where to Start Decorating
Whether you have two storeys to cover or just a few rooms to deck out, you have to start somewhere. Here are the three easiest places to begin your decorating and some ideas for how to do up each area.
Front Door
The front door is a great place to start decorating because it can be enjoyed by you, your guests, and your neighbors! This is the first thing people will see when they come over or pass by your home, and it’s a pretty easy box to check. A wreath is a good place to start, and there are tons of options in this department! Stores like Target and TJMaxx will always have good deals on seasonal wreaths, or you can find nicer options on Etsy or Williams Sonoma. You can even make your own, like this diy egg wreath made only from Dollar Tree eggs or this beautiful floral one. In addition to a wreath, you can also dress up your front porch with fresh flowers, which are on sale in abundance this time of year! Set pots of flowers by the door or hang planters across the porch. Any breath of springtime will lend a lovely atmosphere to your front door!
Kitchen
After your front door, we think your kitchen should be the next stop on your decorating day. Start small with themed hand towels or an egg-shaped bowl filled with candy! You can incorporate holiday dishes or napkins, and don’t forget a cute tablecloth for your kitchen table. Whether it’s a disposable one from the Dollar Tree or something a little more upscale like this green floral one from Serena and Lily, it’s an easy way to bring color and festivity to a space where you and your family probably spend a lot of time!
Dining Room
Hosting Easter lunch this year? No problem! When it comes to decorating tablecloths or runners, arranging place settings, and choosing centerpieces for your Easter meal, just think of light and life. Light colors, with pretty pastels and non-overwhelming designs. And life, as in plants, flowers, and produce. Maybe you like a minimalist look or maybe a busy-looking set up, and both can be great. If you need some inspiration, look no further than here.
Bonus Ideas
Once you’ve covered your basics, you might not want to stop! Here are a few more ideas to get your house looking its best for Easter.
Scatter eggs and egg-shaped decor around the house
Set out baskets filled with candy or dyed eggs (especially fancy ones like these)
Hang garlands (you can diy this one out of paint chips!)
Set out little bunnies or chicks for the springtime
Go all out with the fresh flowers! (or paper ones)
Hang up window stickers to catch the light and brighten up your rooms
String up paper chains or colorful balloons
Leave out carrots for the Easter bunny
Hang up the lyrics to an Easter hymn (check out these options on Etsy!)
The next post will be all about decorating your house for the 4th of July! Look out for that post soon, and check out other posts and blogs like this one at the links below.
