Armenian Easter Traditions

Here is my "real" table for Easter. It is our family's tradition to use these purple transferware plates for Easter.

Also, the cabbage leaf chargers and of course the egg cups are tradition.

Since the little ones were coming for dinner, the kitchen table was the logical choice for my tablescape this year.

Next year, we will eat in the dining room!

There are a few Armenian traditions that my husband's family still honors. Lamb is always served, along with rice pilaf. Which doesn't sound like a big deal, but in my family, we had ham and mashed potatoes for Easter dinner. At least that is what I remember!

For our dinner today, we also had asparagus, salad and a potato/pea puree. Yum!

One of the most important and fun Armenian traditions is the "egg fight!"

This is serious business! Each person selects an egg and then challenges, or is challenged in a fight to see who has the strongest egg.

While one person holds their egg, the other taps the egg with their egg. Whose will break?

This is a game that all generations participate in.

Little Zoe cracked her Mom's egg!

My Mother-in-law concentrating on her egg!

There is much drama to this game and some cheating too!

Congratulations to Reese, who had the winning egg!

Do you have any special Easter traditions?

Do you have lamb or ham? Rice pilaf or mashed potatoes?

Have you ever had an egg fight!?

Natural Dyed Easter Eggs

Traditionally, the Armenians and Greeks dyed their eggs red for Easter, using the papery skins of yellow onions. The red eggs symbolize the blood of Christ.

I dyed my eggs yesterday, and they turned out beautifully!

First, I took the skins of about 5 or 6 yellow onions and boiled them in water for at least 30 minutes.

The liquid is then strained out...

...and the result is this orange color.

I added two tablespoons of white vinegar.

After the water is cooled, I put in the eggs and boiled them for 5 minutes, then turned off the heat and let them sit for a half hour, absorbing the color.

For variance of color, I pulled out some of the eggs earlier. They are a nice orange color.

After the eggs are cooled, they are then "polished" with olive oil.

Aren't they beautiful?

Bigsislilsis

What I also attempted to do, but failed miserably was to dye my eggs like this!

I saw this idea in April's Country Living magazine.

Blogger Sonia Bauer from Bigsislilsis.com wrote an article about dying Easter eggs with natural ingredients, even using flowers and Country Living put her right on the cover!

She said that purple cabbage makes blue eggs. However, my eggs didn't absorb the dye for some reason. The water was intensly purple, but it probably was too diluted.

It looked like a lot of fun, so I gathered leaves from the garden to decorate the eggs.

Laying the leaf on the egg....

...pantyhose is then wrapped around the egg before boiling.

Like I said, I failed miserably with this idea too!

Bigsislilsis

If I had read the article before attempting this project, I would have known that the pantyhose must be wrapped tight and secured with a twist tie. Also, wetting the egg before putting on the leaf makes it stick to the egg better.

Bigsislilsis

Here is how her eggs looked before she dyed them.

Bigsislilsis

The end result!

The step by step instructions are here.

Although the blue botanical eggs didn't turn out, the red ones did.

My Mother-in-law will be happy to see that I honored the old tradition of dying eggs red.

Later today, we will have the traditional Armenian "egg fight!" More on that later....

Happy Easter!

I'm joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays!

An Alfresco Easter Tablescape

The inspiration for my Easter table is this yellow ceramic basket, unearthed from the backyard after years of weathering the elements. All cleaned up, it serves as the perfect Easter basket of flowers and eggs for the centerpiece.

I set a table for four under the arbor. Four is the magic number, as I only had four moss place mats and four majolica saucers that I wanted to use.

Also, setting the table under the arbor let me feature this tole chandelier.

A favorite piece, still awaiting a permanent place someday. But for now, a temporary home!

Flowers from the garden, including ivy, lilacs, mums and Spanish lavender fill the centerpiece.

I added large green moss eggs for effect.

A little bird is hiding amidst the flowers.

Let's light the candles!

The layering for this tablescape began with a paisley tablecloth, moss place mats, then chicken wire chargers.

Another layer was added with these purple majolica cabbage leaf chargers.

Then, chintz plates, which I used last year as well. I just love how these plates evoke Spring and Easter! They compliment the tablecloth perfectly.

It just wouldn't feel like an Easter table without my majolica chick egg cups!

Linen embroidered napkins and a mix of sterling and bone handled flatware complete the table.

This tablescape is pure fantasy!

My real Easter table is set in the dining room for eleven, and I'm using different plates altogether. The Easter basket centerpiece which was my inspiration to start with, will be recycled and perfect for Easter Sunday's table.

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday. Be sure to visit for lots of creative tablescape inspiration.

On Friday, I'm joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday. Stop in for more Easter ideas.

On Saturday, I'm joining Laurie at Bargain Hunting With Laurie for Favorite Things Saturday.

Check it out!

On Sunday, I'm joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays.