The Easter weekend is the perfect opportunity to host a fun, family-friendly gathering, showcase your creative flair and indulge in endless amounts of chocolate.
Whether you're planning a hearty brunch, sophisticated afternoon tea with loved ones or just doing crafts and a lively Easter egg hunt, here are a few tips to help you plan and make this holiday memorable.
DECORATE THE SPACE
Set the tone for your gathering with pastel-coloured tablecloths, Easter-themed centrepieces, and bright flowers.
Turn up the charm with fun table settings that add a bit of festive flair to your plates, serviettes, and glasses. Add creative touches like colourful eggs in nests, bunny-shaped napkin rings or DIY place cards with each guest's name. Get the kids to create these during an arts and crafts session and keep them occupied while you decorate.
PLAN THE MENU
Another key aspect of entertaining for Easter is planning the menu. Whether you're serving brunch, lunch, tea, or dinner, you'll want to offer a variety of delicious dishes that everyone will enjoy.
Traditional Easter foods across the world include glazed ham, roast lamb, devilled eggs, sweet bread loaves and hot cross buns. A dish unique to South Africa is Cape Malay-style pickled fish, which is said to originate in Cape Town, with some families passing their own pickled fish recipe down through generations. Fishcakes, crunchy salads and sliced, seasonal fruits are ideal for those who prefer lighter options.
For dessert, you could also set up a themed table with a variety of chocolate treats like truffles, speckled eggs and chocolate-covered mallows, decorations like Easter-themed candy jars filled with pastel-coloured candies and cake stands with themed cupcakes or cookies.
Consider serving a signature Easter cocktail like a mimosa or a bellini, and offer some non-alcoholic options like milkshakes, juice, or flavoured ice teas.
One of our favourite recipes is a delicious Berry Splendour Tart, showcased in issue #30 of Outlook, the Greeff Christie’s magazine. Created by Cape Town caterer, Alison Bodenstein, it combines light, crisp pastry with dark chocolate, mixed berries, and thick custard cream. Click here for the recipe.
CREATE FUN ACTIVITIES FOR EVERYONE
Keep your guests entertained with an Easter egg hunt or set up a craft table where adults and kids can decorate eggs or create Easter-themed crafts.
You could also set up a photo booth with Easter-themed props to take some fun pics to keep as memories or to post on social media.
If all else fails, consider playing games like Pictionary, 30 Seconds, Uno or Jenga, which are suitable for kids and adults alike.
With some simple planning and creativity, you can host a memorable gathering that loved ones will thoroughly enjoy.