Decorating for Easter

NAIROBI: Easter is a season of great spiritual significance for Christians as they remember the death of Christ and His resurrection. It is, therefore, a great opportunity to revamp your living space with visual reminders of the season.

Eggs and bunnies may be the popular selection of décor for the Western countries, but they may not have much symbolic meaning in the African culture. There are various historical explanations why the West prefer eggs and bunnies. Some associate them with the rebirth of the earth that occurs during the spring season immediately after the long, hard winters. The earth is reborn just as the egg miraculously bursts forth with life.

The Romans, Gauls, Chinese, Egyptians and Persians all cherished the egg as a symbol of the universe.The egg was also believed to have special powers. With the advent of Christianity, the symbolism of the egg changed to represent not nature’s rebirth, but the rebirth of man (geo-cities).

The exact meaning is outside the scope of this column but below are easy and simple ways of bringing the Easter mood into your space this season. Select an option that has a meaning for you and hope this season brings a sense of renewed energy and renewed vision for a renewed life.

Palm Trees

The palm leaves are an easy way to commemorate the Easter season and a reminder of the palm leaves spread on the path for Jesus while riding on a donkey before His crucifixion. If you have planted some species of a palm tree, then simply cut some leaves and place them in a flower vase with water. You will be amazed at how long the leaves last. The roadside flower growing vendors could also be willing to trade some leaves off for a small fee.

Cross and a Crown

Create a setting with a cross on which Jesus hang. For a more subtle effect, you could place a crown on a purple cloth to represent the crown of thorns placed on Jesus’s head, with the purple cloth representing royalty. Place candles and an open Bible alongside the cross and your Easter message will be clearly communicated without uttering a word.

Miniature centrepiece

Easter may be a season where you sit down for a meal with your family. Decorate the table with candles placed on saucers and dressed with cutlets of palm leaves or a pair of miniature thorns to create an illustration of the crucifixion. Place wine glasses filled with red wine at the table to represent the blood of Christ.