Celebrate Easter for less
Happy Easter, everybody! Despite the January-esque weather and annoyingly frequent snowstorms — Easter is finally upon us, and I’m delighted. I love this holiday — it’s a wonderful day for so many reasons. We’re *this* close to Springtime temps, it’s a wonderful day to get together with family and friends and it’s the one day of the year where I can wear a big, obnoxious pastel hat to church without getting (too many) weird looks. What’s not to love?
One of the best ways to celebrate the holiday is with a table full of family and friends. For those who hold back on a full house for fear the costs will spin out of control, read on for fabulous tips on creating a beautiful Easter for easily half the cost of year’s past.
The Easter Feast: The most highly-effective tactic to slash costs on your holiday meal is to delegate. I would suggest the host or hostess be in charge of any ham or turkey, but when it comes to the side dishes, let your beloved guests show off their best recipes. In my family tree, I’ve got relatives coming in from all directions that are specialists in everything from dips to side dishes to desserts. Everyone coming to your house is going to want to bring something — let them put their special mark on the day with a recipe that they’re famous for. Before you know it, your only culinary task for the day — your turkey and/or ham — will be sitting in your dining room surrounded by gourmet Parmesan potatoes, a bottle or two of wine, herbed rolls and a side table filled with desserts, none of which you had anything to do with creating. Works for me.
Decorations: I’ll be honest, I’m not much for sophisticated decorations on Easter. I pretty much pat myself on the back for setting the table with a pastel green tablecloth and bright pink napkins. However, I know people who take the flowers and placecards to a level worthy of a visit from Queen Elizabeth. Most people are somewhere in between. My advice — if you have any kind of nearby flowering bushes (forsythia, etc.) that are blooming, cut a few dramatic branches for some tall arrangements in vases, or simply line them down the center of the table in and amongst the candles. It looks fantastic, and fits in beautifully with the color scheme. If you want to kick it up a notch and you’re expecting a guest who adores flowers, have them be in charge of the arrangements. Boom, it’s off your list.
The candy: If you’ve got young kids at your house (like me) you know that the candy costs can rapidly spiral out of control faster than you can say “nuclear sugar rush.” That being said, we all want the kids to have a great time, we just don’t want to break the bank to do it. No doubt you already have last year’s Easter baskets upstairs in the attic, so all you have to do is hit the nearest dollar store where fabulously fresh Easter candy can be had for a fraction of what you might pay retail. Do yourself a favor and bring your basket with you to measure the amount of candy you’re getting. You’ll be surprised just how little you really need.
Above all else, remember that the idea here is to appreciate this special holiday in ways that won’t wreck your budget — surrounded by loving family and friends, hopefully some Springtime weather, and if you’re really lucky, an obnoxious pastel hat.
Happy Easter, everybody! Kristen Hagopian is a syndicated radio talk show host, columnist & author of Brilliant Frugal Living. She co-hosts WCHE 1520’s Morning Show, and “Dad and Daughter Talk Real Estate” with local Keller Williams Realtor John Herreid Wednesdays at 3 p.m. (www.johnherreid.com). She was raised in Delaware County, and now resides in Chester County with her husband and kids. You can find her online at www. BrilliantFrugalLiving.com