Paper Party – Easter Edition
Are you planning a get-together this Easter? Why not have it on theme, from printable decorations to party games, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Printable Egg Hunt
An Easter egg hunt is a great activity for all ages and can include chocolate and/or paper Easter eggs. If you choose to print them, you can customize them and glue them to cocktail sticks or skewers and stick them into the ground, allowing you to hide them in more unusual places!
Wanting to make it a little more challenging? Why not create some clue cards which point in the direction of the eggs’ whereabouts? You can peg these to a washing line, put them on walls, and place them in plant pots. If you are printing your own eggs, why not decorate the front, and use the back as a clue to find the next egg?
TIP: To make sure that you don’t lose any eggs, draw a map of the area, and put a little X where each egg is hidden.
Gift Baskets
Whether you are doing an Easter egg hunt or you are planning a dinner party, these little baskets are great for collecting eggs or giving them to your guests as a goodie bag or party favour.
Bunting And Decorations
To get your house, garden or room ready for your Easter party, you might want to consider decorations. We have some printable bunting that you can colour as a family, or alternatively, full-colour ones are available also.
For table decorations, why not make some origami rabbits and chicks? Simply get some yellow, pink and light blue paper and you can make yourself some quick, inexpensive table decorations. TIP: If you have some white cotton wool or small pompoms, glue them to your origami rabbits’ as tails.
Party Games
Whether you are a child, student or parent, there is something for everyone with old-fashioned party games. Egg and spoon races are great for an Easter party (and you’ll already have the eggs to hand!). Other fun party games include pin the tail on the rabbit, and Easter-themed checkers. You can download our Easter party pack here.
Why Do We Have Easter Eggs?
The first mention of Easter eggs, or ‘pace’ eggs as they were originally known, originates from the 18th century in Lancashire. (The word ‘pace’ comes from ‘paschal’ which is the Latin name for Easter.) These were given as presents or at plays, and sometimes they were rolled along the ground in a race as a way of symbolizing the rolling away of the stone from Jesus’ tomb. A ‘Pace’ egg is a hardboiled hen, duck, or goose egg with a white shell. People often coloured and dyed the eggs themselves to be green, blue, yellow or red using natural means of dye. [1]
Why Do We Eat Eggs At Easter?
Eating eggs was often associated with spring and fresh life in pre-Christian societies. Early Christians modified these ideas by equating the egg with the resurrected Christ and the empty shell with the tomb of Jesus. [2]
Egg consumption was prohibited during Lent, the 40 days leading up to Easter, in the mediaeval period. Easter Sunday marked the end of the fast and was marked by feasting and rejoicing, with eggs playing a significant role. This was especially true for those who couldn’t afford meat. Eggs were also presented to the church on Good Friday as offerings, and the lord of the manor frequently received eggs as Easter gifts from the people. Royals also participated in this custom; in 1290, Edward I bought 450 eggs to be decorated with colours and gold leaf, which were then distributed to his household. [2]