This table, styled by a friend of mine for a spring luncheon, doesn’t have a centerpiece at all. Instead, she mixed in her mother’s old china and Depression glass, all in pinks and greens. (Handout/TNS)
I’m not sure why, but Easter is one of those holidays that always sneaks up on me. Maybe it’s because it’s not on the same day every year. But it always seems like, suddenly, it’s Good Friday and I have a house full of guests coming for Easter brunch, and I haven’t done a thing to get ready. If you’re like me, don’t panic. Here are some easy Easter table centerpieces you can throw together in a jiff.
Eggcelent idea
Now that eggs are good for you again, I’ve started having two farm eggs for breakfast every day. I’m hoping the added protein will make my nails stronger! I’m crazy about the brown ones because they just feel more authentic than the white ones. Crazy, I know. When I get the carton home, I take all the eggs out and put them in a pretty bowl in my fridge. It makes me smile as I pull out the bowl brimming with eggs each morning, like I’m living on a farm or something. And, it makes Dan happy because it gives him another excuse to tease me.
So, this is my first quick centerpiece idea: Fill a vintage bowl with natural eggs, either brown or white or the interesting variety of shades you can find from your local farmers now. Sweet, simple and done in 30 seconds. Score!
If you want to take this look up a notch, flank the bowl of eggs with some Easter decor.
Livin’ large
If you have a bit of time and want to knock your Easter table design out of the park, here’s some inspiration. This yummy shot is of my dining room when I lived in my grand old house in Atchison. This was for a formal party – and a book shoot – so we did it up big. But, it still wasn’t overly hard to create. We just layered up dishes from several different china patters, then topped each place setting with a glass jar filled with chocolate eggs. The napkins are tied in simple satin ribbon, with a little flower threaded in. The place card holders were a little harder to pull off. We found wheat grass at the local market, tied it up in a bunch and tucked in the name card. The grass kept wilting, so we had to fill the saucer with a bit of water.
Sans centerpiece
Here’s another fun idea. This table, styled by a friend of mine for a spring luncheon, doesn’t have a centerpiece at all. Instead, she mixed in her mother’s old china and Depression glass, all in pinks and greens. Each place setting is topped with a petite bouquet. You could snip a sprig from a flowering bush or anything that’s in bloom in your garden. The seed packs add lots of fun, and give hope for the beautiful flowers to come when the weather warms up.
Easter al fresco
If it’s warm where you live, take Easter brunch outdoors. Even a simple salad looks sensational when it’s served in a beautiful bowl.
No matter how you decorate, make your Easter gathering a true celebration!
This column was adapted from Mary Carol Garrity’s blog at www.nellhills.com. She can be reached at [email protected].
By Mary Carol Garrity, Tribune News Service (TNS)
