Happy Easter! Planning for the day? Take a gander at the Easter Sunday checklist to be sure you are totally prepared for the holiday!
Start a new tradition – If your family is religious, you can start a new tradition for a blessing entering us into the new season – my family has hard boiled eggs cut into quarters or pieces blessed by a priest and before brunch we stand around the dinner table and from oldest to youngest we eat a piece of the blessed eggs then say a prayer to bless our meal and give thanks

Have your easter baskets prepared – Make your Easter baskets the night before, label them to be sure you remembered all the cousins, nephews and nieces

Flowers for the adults – Give the adults in the family fresh cut flowers or potted flowers instead of Easter baskets

Dishes prepared – It’s a tradition for many to eat a feast of meat on Easter sunday being that good friday has a no meat rule, bring the dish or dessert you prepared for the meal – something in the spirit of the Easter holiday

Dress in your Easter Sunday best – Even if you celebrate Easter in the morning or afternoon, it’s a great opportunity to dress up in formal casual attire for a dignified meal

Easter Activity – If there are kids in the family or even for fun-loving crafty adults, dye eggs, create a easter egg hunt, scavenger hunt or make cut-out bunny masks – you can even venture to the mall or a location to take photos with the Easter bunny – if you really want to get into the spirit you can have a member of the family dress up like the easter bunny it brings joy especially for the little ones!

Two days before Easter and you want to make something simple, fast and scrumptious for the holiday. Below are a few quick recipes to make this Easter extra special and extra delicious.

1. Bunny Cruisers

A bag of bunny peeps, chocolate covered pretzels, twinkies, vanilla wafers (nilla wafers) or mini oreos, vanilla icing, a knife – the recipe is very simple once you have all the ingredients. This is also an easy activity to do with children. Set up a little assembly line and place all your ingredients in a row to make it easier for them.  Before placing the twinkies out, use the knife to cut a “seat” in the twinkie to place your bunny and pretzel steering wheel in. Separate your mini oreos and use the icing from the middle with a dab of vanilla icing to place on the sides of your twinkie for tires. Voila!  You have bunny cruisers to take your sweet tooth on a joyous ride this Easter!

2. Candy Melt Carrots

Orange candy melt, large strawberries with the stems intact (also best to find ones with bushy stems with some leaves still on)  parchment paper – this recipe is similar to making chocolate covered strawberries – simply melt the orange candy melt (use the directions on the package) you also want to be sure it’s orange so your strawberries look like carrots at the end! Dip your strawberries in the candy melt so they are completely coated. An easy way to dip strawberries is holding them by the stem and gently dipping them and rolling them in the melt. Place them on the parchment paper and allow them to cool in the fridge overnight.

3. Pysanka Fruit Platter

This dish allots you a little more creativity! Cut up your favorite fruits – strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, papaya and mango work well. Using vanilla icing or a cream cheese fruit dip and a platter dish, spread the icing / dip in a egg shape on the platter then arrange the fruit in any colorful formation of your choosing. It helps to enclose the design in a border of like purple grapes to define the egg shape.

3 Days Until Easter: So all the kids in the family are grown up but everyone still wants an easter basket this year. So make them the perfect adult easter basket without the peeps that no one ever eats and the licorice jelly beans no one likes.

Small bottle of wine – opt for the white or rose as they make better spring and summer wines

Lindt Gold Bunny  – get the good chocolate in a shimmering golden wrapper with

Lindt chocolate carrots – Add a few lindt carrots for good measure – something for the gold bunny to munch on

Small potted plant – better than cut flowers as these ones are still living and they will last throughout the entire season

Grapevine Basket – try a grapevine basket for a rustic look with a ribbon tied to the top – plus ones like these will allow you to fit the wine and the plant inside without tipping over

Floral scented candle – add a small floral scented candle for that extra dose of spring scent and cheer to the basket – yankee candle has a nice floral collection but any will do

Place them all together and you have yourself and your adult family members, the perfect adult basket for this upcoming Easter.

4 days until Easter Countdown: Bring a new treat to the table this year with Italian Easter Cookies that come with hand rolled dough in a basket shape with an egg in the center – they are delicious and very adorable! Although my family is Ukrainian, my aunt comes from an italian family and it was always a treat to have these at the table come Easter time.

5 Days until Easter countdown! There are many ways to change up the style this year from your typical Easter baskets to something a little more interesting – try your hand at thread easter baskets

What You’ll Need: 

• Crochet thread
• Fabric stiffener such as Stiffy
• Bowl
• Plastic wrap
• Tape
• Disposable bowl or cupcake tray
• Balloon
• 1/4 Yard coordinating fabric
• Scissors
• Sewing Machine

Line your disposable bowl with plastic wrap. Tape down the edges of that plastic wrap to the bowl.  Cover the table you are working on too.

Inflate a balloon in the shape you want the basket to be – egg shape, round, whichever you choose.  This is the size of your basket so be sure to inflate to the size you want.

Drop your string into the bowl and fully cover it in stiffy.  Be sure the string is saturated, but not in a pool of Stiffy.

Wrap the end of the string around the top of the balloon to get started.  This will hold that first piece of slippery string in place until you can get enough in place that it will hold itself.

Continue wrapping your egg until you’ve got complete coverage.  You’ll want to add more Stiffy along the way when you get to string that isn’t saturated.

Set your basket in a bowl or cupcake tray to dry for 24 hours.  Half way through the drying process, turn your egg on its side so the bottom can dry.

After the egg has had plenty of drying time, break out a pin and pop the balloon inside.

If you can, pull the top out, but if not, grab it once you cut a hole.

Using your scissors cut a hole in the basket so you can fill it with Easter grass and goodies.

6 days until Easter – Aside from all the delicious food you’ll be having – there are a few ways you can make your easter table look even more festive this year, adding a little charm and delight to the Easter holiday spirit.

Lamb Shaped Butter – simple and smooth edible decoration

Dyed Easter Egg Centerpiece – eye catching and sparkling table dyed egg centerpiece

Fresh Cut Spring Flowers – In the spirit of spring, spruce up your table with some fresh cut flowers – daffodils, lilies or daisies for a bright and charming look

Chocolate Fondue Fountain – To really dazzle this year, try a chocolate fondue fountain – perhaps instead of easter baskets – surround it by fruits, marshmallows and shortbread cookies

Jelly Bean Dishes – As another alternative to easter baskets – petri dishes with multi colored jelly bellies on the table add color and sweets to the spread

Porcelain Candle Scene – Add a few large candles seated on a bed of grass with porcelain bunnies and easter eggs around them for a classic look

This are just a few ways to increase the appeal of your Easter experience this year using simple design techniques.