Old Fashioned Easter Party Ideas

How did they celebrate Easter in 1905? I have a small hardcover of Bright Ideas for Entertaining, written in 1905 by Mrs. Herbert B. Linscott. There is a small section on Easter Egg Hunts and other tidbits I'd like to share.

Easter Egg Hunt: Nests are made of paper moss. In them are placed eggs of different varieties, some genuine hard boiled eggs, some of china or wood and some of candy. The wooden eggs should contain tiny ducks or chickens. The nests are hidden in every nook and corner of the house. The guests are then bidden to go nest hunting, and a half hour is given for the hunt. Each guest is given a little fancy basket for the hunt in which to gather his eggs. The one securing the greatest number of eggs is given a prize of a large fancy egg. The baskets and eggs may be kept as souvenirs.

Children's Party Ideas: Give them small baskets to hunt for the eggs which the mother has a few days before blown and colored then hidden all over the house. (I assume this means the method of piercing the egg with a pin and blowing out the raw egg.) On the floor have little yellow chicks arranged as tenpins at one end and give the children each an egg and let them roll the eggs and see how many chicks they can knock down.

In the center of the table place a "nest" which on top is a large rabbit on his haunches, and in his front paws is an Easter Egg. From this to each plate run a different colored piece of ribbon, with a card attached. Upon the card have the child's name who sits at that place. At the end of the party each child will pull their ribbon which should have an egg filled with treats hidden under the rabbit.

Have all the refreshments upon the table--thin slices of bread and butter, sandwiches, nuts, tiny cups of chocolate, cake and ice cream.

Easter Salad: A delicious and most attractive salad for Easter may be made by building a nest of narrow strips of cold boiled potatoes upon a few very crisp lettuce leaves. Fill the nest with eggs made of cream cheese rolled in grated yellow cheese. Serve on individual plates with a well-made mayonnaise dressing and plain crackers, or thin slices of brown bread and butter.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend:)

~Brenda