Happy Easter to everyone! We actually celebrated Easter yesterday, since my cousins had to drive back to college today. I had a really great time, though, and was sad to see everyone leave – the house seems to shrink a lot when you go from twelve people back down to the usual four. Yeah, we kind of do larger holidays and get-toghers, because my mom’s family is considerably larger, with five kids, and eleven of us grandchildren. (However, our biggest was last Christmas with twenty-one people—try taking that many to Maggiano’s for lunch, and then add in that five are vegetarians). Whether it is twelve or twenty-one, the house can become quite chaotic at times, especially when it’s time to eat (it’s like a huge stampede to get food). And then, on top of getting food (with that many people, our island in the kitchen becomes a buffet line), finding a place to sit can be quite a scramble. So, my solution, place cards. That, and they add a kind of dress up the meal. To save money, I make my own, and they are so simple.
First start with your supplies. You’ll need a computer with clip art, a color printer, white paper (printer paper or card stock), art supplies (I like markers), and a paper cutter.
Start with a Word Document, and get open clip art. Since it was Easter, I used Easter eggs, and found a bunch of different eggs. Put two eggs (or other clip art) on a page, one at the bottom, and one in the middle of the page length. I like to alternate what side of the paper they are on, so it looks different all the way around the table.
Once you have the right amount of place settings (two to a page) print it out.
Start by folding the paper in half hamburger style, so you have one egg on each half.
Then use the paper cutter to cut down the fold.
Next fold each section of the cut paper in half again, this time hot dog style, so you get a place card.
Pick some kind of marker, color pencil, pen, etc. that matches the color of your clip art.
Write your guests name and make it kind of decorative, but try not to take away from the picture.
Repeat for the appropriate number of guests.
I have used these for all kinds of holidays and other gatherings. I save all my sets, because usually we end up having the same family over, and then if anybody new comes (like my cousin’s boyfriend), you can just print some more and add to the stack. So here I have Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and a plain flower set, that I can use year round.
Good luck at your next big gathering, and have a happy and blessed Easter!
