Easter.  What a wonderful time of year.  Spring.  Renewal. Flowers.  This is a great time to have some fun with your table decorations!

This year I decorated both my formal dining table as well as the one in the living room.

In the more casual room, I reused the large white lantern that my mother-in-law gave us for Christmas (I love that lantern!).  I used a quilted Easter table runner I made several years ago.  Around the lantern I placed bunnies of all shapes and sizes.

In the dining room, where we would actually eat our Easter lunch if we would be at home this year, I used a plaid cotton tea towel as a table runner.  I used an antique pierced footed fruit bowl as the centerpiece in which I placed Easter eggs and painted gold leaves (reused from my wedding).  Around that are a few bunnies as well as gold candles in crystal and gold candlesticks.

For china, I chose to mix my mother’s pink and white china with my white Mikasa Yardley.  They look great together and actually provide a bit of interest to the table.  For the glasses, I used crystal stemware with gold rims.  Somewhere I have pink stemware that was my mom’s, but I haven’t been able to put my finger on them!

I had considered quilting a new runner to match the napkins I made last year.  I also had planned to make small one-hour baskets for candy or tinted eggs.  However, when we decided we would not eat Easter lunch at our house this year, I did not make either!

If you like to change up your tablescape from year to year, you can change dishes, flatware, glass wear, linens and/or the centerpiece.  With so many options for refreshing the look, you needn’t spend a great deal of money.  In my case, I only spent a bit of time reimagining my tables.

Now for the fun…the menu!  We probably all have our traditional menu for Easter.  I wasn’t planning to mix it up too much this year.  The menu I planned consisted of:

Appetizer
Devilled eggs
Crudités

Main course
Ham with Colemans mustard
Green peas with pearl onions (I will post the recipe on Friday)
Mashed potatoes
Hot homemade rolls

Dessert
Carrot cake

or

Appetizer
Tomato soup

Entrée
Lamb chops with homemade mint jelly
Carrots
Mashed potatoes
Hot homemade rolls

Dessert
Coconut cream pie

However you choose to set your table or plan your meal, I hope it is a wonderful day full of family and friends!