The Easter hostess: Tips for hosting without a hitch

Mar 01, 2013

Melissa Dunlap is a writer, editor and blogger specializing in lifestyle communications. Fueled by curiosity, and a tad too much coffee, Melissa enjoys dissecting current trends for the modern woman. When she's not having dance parties w...

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Host an amazing Easter celebration

Hosting Easter for your family and friends? We've got you covered with tips and tricks from top lifestyle experts.

Play with your food

With bunnies, chicks, baby animals and pastel colors galore, Easter is simply begging for playful food to be served.

Hash brown eggs

Najafi’s hash brown eggs are both a conversation starter and a lovely addition to a festive Easter spread. "They're a cinch to make and are a total show-stopper when displayed on the buffet or served as a single side dish," she explains.

How to make: Use cupcake papers or small dishes and place the cooked hash browns on the bottom to create the nest. Then place a deviled or hard-boiled egg (sliced horizontally) in the center of the nest with a sprig of fresh dill on top.

Mini ham biscuits

Ham might be a classic Easter dish, but Schoels puts a unique spin on it for a bite-sized Easter brunch. Use a fork or decorative Easter-themed toothpicks to hold it together.

How to make: Prepare honey buttermilk biscuit dough (get the recipe here) and gently pat the dough on a floured board. Use a small cookie cutter (or juice glass) to cut out small biscuit shapes and bake for eight to 10 minutes. Add ham and mustard.

A sweet ending

Forget the chocolate Easter bunny! Guests will go bananas over these Cupcakes in Easter Eggs and Springtime Coconut Cupcakes by Young Married Chic, both of which do double-duty as table decor.

Easter table ideas

Paper mache eggs

Najafi created a fabulous Easter tablescape using paper mache eggs and shared her secrets for making your own.

How to make:

1) Gather supplies including balloons, Elmer's Glue and craft paper (choose colors that coordinate with the rest of your table).

2) Combine the glue and water in equal parts to create your paintable shellac.

3) Blow up the balloons to a desired size, and use a paintbrush or sponge to coat a section of the balloon with the glue.

4) Apply strips of craft paper and secure to the balloon with another layer of the shellac. Continue in an overlapping pattern until covered, and then set aside to dry overnight.

5) The next morning, pop the balloon and trim away any excess or undesired paper mache. Set a vase inside and add your flowers or a votive for a luminary. Inexpensive, simple and stunning.

Decorate blown-out Easter eggs

"My kids love to design their own custom-crafted Easter eggs, but I'm not too chummy with the concept of messy (and unforgiving) dye," Najafi admits. "Instead, I have my kids decorate their eggs with buttons, pipe cleaners, ribbon and googly eyes." Najafi’s adorable blown-out Easter eggs would make a fantastic substitution for name cards, and the kids would love trying to recreate a mini-me egg for each guest.

How to make:
1) Remove the insides of raw eggs by poking a small hole at the top and a slightly larger hole at the bottom with a pin or sewing needle.

2) Take a straw to the opening at the top and gently "blow out" the insides of the egg into a bowl. Save the insides for a breakfast scramble or a quiche… no waste!

3) Carefully rinse the eggs and set to dry. You can prep the eggs way in advance, and then designate a crafting table with all the fun decorations and glue come Easter.