«A Year of Parties» Series - Easter Party (in the age of social distancing)

Our Easter celebrations usually take place in the enclosed back garden of our apartment building (the weather is breezy and balmy in Athens this time of year) between the 3 families/neighbors and friends of ours that come to us to spend Easter Sunday BBQ-ing and stuffing our faces full of yummy goodies!

Social distancing put a temporary end to those gatherings but celebrate, we must! It won’t be the usual all-in party planning and decorating but that won’t hinder us in making the most of it! Keeping it simple is the way to go.

If we go back to the roots (read: the most important things) a nicely set table with all the yummy food and the people around it are the protagonists of this celebration. Creating an uplifting environment and telling a story is our goal. Use items that are relevant to your “guests” so the decoration becomes personalized. Or use colors that are not specifically spring or Easter related but brought in through plates (see below our tablescape with oranges) or silverware, napkins or the tablecloth. Sometimes less is more - an all-white table setting with little pop of pastel colors and we can call it stylishly done!

Decorations can be little touches that’ll make our table colorful and cheery.

Flowers and greenery - even from just the garden will make up a beautiful centerpiece for your table
Tiered tray stands - also a possibility for a centerpiece and you can decorate it with all sorts of little Easter-related things, like: eggs, bunnies, chicks, little flowers, bird-nests, butterflies, grass etc… from paper, plastic, ceramic…
Fruits and vegetables - in glass apothecary jars or bowls are very apt for decorations this time. You can use carrots, asparagus, lemons, celery, chives (looks like tall grass) etc.
Burlap, jute, driftwood - make up a natural and rustic tablescape. If you pair it with all-whites it’ll become chic, white-hued table setting.
White candles and ceramic figurines - will fill the center of a table nicely and you’ll only need just small greenery pieces or colorful touches to complement and balance the white.
Candy and chocolate - in tall and short glass jars or just scattered around the table can be used either as centerpieces or complementary touches
Printed place-mats and a box of crayons - the most entertaining way to keep kids at the table without them getting rowdy from boredom
Wreaths or crates - big pieces with large capacity for anything your mind dreams up as decoration

As final decoration, you can make some napkin-rings, carrot cones for silverware holders, straw flags and even food labels.

To find your decorations you don’t even have to set foot outside, make it into a game of “egg-hunt” to come up with something balanced, spring-like, cheery and fun! Involve your family, tasking them each to find one item that will fit into your color palette/decoration theme. If you’re alone this Easter, make a virtual party out of it (you can read all about how to set this up in my previous post HERE). And don’t forget to arrange an egg-hunt for the little ones!

This was our Easter table, decorated in colors of orange, pine green and sky blues. Click on the photo to see them in their full glory!