Plastic Easter eggs and synthetic decorations can take centuries to decompose in landfills. This sobering fact should make us think twice about our holiday choices.
Your Easter celebrations can be both fun and environmentally conscious. Natural dyes like turmeric, beets, and spinach create beautiful colors. Salt dough and paper mache crafts add a personal touch that makes decorations special and earth-friendly.
Everyday materials can become beautiful decorations with some creativity. Old egg cartons make charming flower vases, and spare fabric scraps transform into delightful Easter bunnies. Paper or bamboo fiber eggs work perfectly for Easter egg hunts and leave no lasting environmental impact.
Source: Unsplash.com
Understanding Natural Materials for Easter Decorations
Natural materials make eco-friendly Easter decorations beautiful. Your choice of materials brings authentic spring charm into your home and helps the environment. Learning about green options creates endless possibilities for your Easter celebrations.
Seasonal plants and flowers for spring decor
Spring brings perfect materials for Easter decorating. Easter lilies are the holiday's signature flower. Their trumpet-shaped white blooms symbolize purity, rebirth, and hope. These elegant flowers connect deeply with biblical traditions and represent Jesus's resurrection in Christian faith.
Tulips add vibrant colors and stand for perfect love. Daffodils show rebirth and new beginnings—matching Easter's theme of renewal. Some stories tell us the first daffodil bloomed during the Last Supper to comfort Christ.
Source: Unsplash.com
Small arrangements look charming with violas and pansies, known for their distinctive "faces" and wide color range. Grape hyacinths add their gentle scent to miniature displays. Cherry, apple, or pear tree's flowering branches create beautiful sculptural centerpieces.
Pro tip: Pick bouquets with tight buds. They'll open quickly indoors and give you a longer-lasting display.
Sustainable alternatives to plastic
Natural materials make great substitutes for plastic decorations. Bamboo, seagrass, woven straw, or repurposed fabric work well for Easter baskets. Household items can become unique basket alternatives—tote bags, wooden crates, or decorated cardboard boxes serve the purpose beautifully.
Durable alternatives for eggs include:
- Salt dough eggs: This biodegradable material molds easily and bakes into sturdy ornaments
- Wooden eggs: These last long and take well to painting, dyeing, or wood-burning designs
- Fabric eggs: Scrap cotton, felt, or linen sewn with natural wool stuffing
- Paper mache eggs: Recycled paper creates lightweight, eco-friendly options
Shredded recycled paper, fabric scraps, natural straw, or live wheatgrass can replace plastic "Easter grass".
Creating Natural Egg Decorations
Beautiful Easter decorations can come from regular eggs with some creative eco-friendly techniques. You can make stunning decorations that follow green practices with just a few simple methods.
DIY plant-based dyes from kitchen ingredients
Your kitchen holds amazing natural color possibilities. These natural dyes will give you vibrant results:
- Beets: Create pink to maroon hues depending on soaking time
- Red cabbage: Surprisingly produces blue (not purple) on white eggs
- Turmeric: Yields bright yellow colors
- Onion skins: Develop orange to rusty red tones
The natural dye process is straightforward. Mix your chosen ingredient with water, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1 tablespoon salt. Let it simmer for 30 minutes, strain, and soak hard-boiled eggs in the cooled liquid. Rich colors emerge when eggs stay in the dye overnight in the refrigerator. Each color combination creates unique shades - yellow then blue becomes green, while yellow then pink turns into orange.
Source: Unsplash.com
Pressed flower and herb decoration techniques
Herb-stencilled eggs need small leaves or flowers (such as parsley, dill, or cilantro) placed against the eggshell. Secure them with nylon stockings before dyeing. Beautiful leaf patterns appear when you remove the stocking after the dye dries.
Wallpaper paste or mod podge helps attach pressed flowers directly to dyed eggs. Small flat flowers like pansies or wood anemones work best with this method.
Preserving decorated eggs for future use
Naturally dyed eggs shine beautifully when rubbed with a small amount of vegetable oil after drying. This step also makes colors more intense. Salt dough or clay eggs need a clear sealer, especially when displayed outdoors.
Crafting Eco-Friendly Easter Baskets
You don't need a store trip to create beautiful Easter baskets. Your holiday celebrations can be green and budget-friendly by reusing items you already have at home.
Upcycling household items into baskets
Perfect basket materials are waiting right in your home. Old pants legs provide free bottom weight fabric that becomes unique containers through sewing. Felt makes wonderful hand-sewn baskets with detailed designs—kids can practice their sewing skills with this project. Paper grocery bags turn into surprisingly strong baskets when cut into strips and woven together.
Everyday containers can serve a new purpose with some creative touches. Paint or paper can turn tin cans of all sizes into charming mini buckets that work great at Easter egg hunts. A few cuts and decorations can even turn plastic soda bottles into functional baskets.
Eco-friendly basket fillers and alternatives to plastic grass
Plastic Easter grass creates unnecessary waste that stays in landfills. Here are several green alternatives:
- Shredded recycled paper or colorful junk mail
- Natural raffia or wool fibers
- Dried moss or real straw
- Living wheatgrass (planted 2-3 weeks before Easter)
Quality baskets cost as little as $1 at thrift stores, making second-hand shopping good for both your wallet and the environment. The best Easter basket grass might be no grass at all—just arrange your gifts nicely inside.
Designing Sustainable Easter Home Decor
Nature's beauty can reshape your home's Easter decor beyond just eggs and baskets. Your walls, tables, and wearable items can showcase spring's freshness with eco-friendly decorations that protect our environment.
Source: Unsplash.com
Natural Easter wreaths and garlands
An eco-friendly Easter wreath adds new life to your entryway. Grapevine wreaths make perfect bases that add rustic charm and break down naturally. You can decorate them with seasonal elements like pussy willow, which holds traditional Easter meaning, or dried grasses that add texture. Dried flowers or fresh blooms work great for color and can be composted later.
Your garlands could feature felt bunnies or carrots made from fabric scraps. Paper egg garlands from recycled cardstock work well too. These decorations pack away easily and cut waste each year.
Biodegradable table centerpieces
Spring bulbs create stunning centerpieces that keep growing. You can plant potted narcissi or muscari outdoors after they finish flowering. Branches of pussy willow and catkins in recycled glass containers offer elegant simplicity.
Beeswax candles improve your tablescape as the purest burning option. Small bud vases filled with dried lavender or bunny tails add charm. Old hot sauce bottles become lovely vases with some creative touches.
Larger gatherings work better with borrowed plates and cloth napkins instead of disposables. These simple choices create beautiful settings that help our environment.
Ideas of DIY Sustainable Easter Decorations
This piece will show you ideas to create stunning Easter decorations with natural and reusable materials. You'll learn to craft eco-friendly baskets, design green wreaths, and make beautiful garlands. Your Easter celebration can be festive and kind to our planet at the same time.
1. Lavender Eggshell Candles
How to make Eggshell Candles. This easy DIY sprint craft is easy to make and is a great way to decorate your Easter table. Made with soy wax and lavender essential oil in real eggshells. Click here
Source: https://apumpkinandaprincess.com/lavender-eggshell-candles/
2. Frosted Paper Honeycomb Easter Eggs
These frosted paper honeycomb eggs make such cute Easter decor and are so easy to craft. Click here
Source: https://liagriffith.com/frosted-paper-honeycomb-eggs/?sscid=41k9_fix7q
3. Wood Bead Easter Bunnies
Need a cute, easy versatile Easter craft? Today I’m going to show you how to make wood bead Easter bunnies! They are quick and fun to make and you only need a few supplies, but there are so many fun things you can do with them. I used my wood bead bunnies as napkin rings and as candy jar toppers, but let your creativity soar and I’m sure you can think of a dozen clever ways to use them. Click here
Source: https://www.thecraftpatchblog.com/wood-bead-easter-bunnies/
4.Grapevine Bunny Wreath
Have you ever seen such a large, impressive wreath? This all-natural bunny is the definition of "showstopping." Outdo all your neighbours by putting this gorgeous wreath on your front door. Click here
Source: https://sprinklesomefun.com/bunny-wreath/
5. Simple Formula for Dinner Table Setting at Any Occasion
A quick guide to create a simple dinner table setting for any occasion or holiday using tricks to make inexpensive dinner table decor look upscale. Click here
Source: https://www.blesserhouse.com/simple-formula-for-dinner-table-setting-at-any-occasion/
6. Honeycomb Easter Eggs
You can't help but smile when you decorate your home with these colorful Easter eggs! Use different shades of card stock to make designs that will pop. Click here
Source: https://thehousethatlarsbuilt.com/2021/03/honeycomb-easter-eggs.html/
7. Rainbow Egg Wreath
I’m just hoping the weather doesn’t miss the memo. This year we’re decorating with this Rainbow Easter Egg Wreath! Click here
Source: https://thehousethatlarsbuilt.com/2018/02/rainbow-easter-egg-wreath.html/
8. Easter Egg Centerpiece
If you’d like to fancy up an Easter brunch, look no further than this sweet and simple Easter centerpiece. Simply drop eggs and a few tulips into a wooden box to instantly dress up your table. Click here
Source: https://julieblanner.com/easter-brunch-table-setting/
9. DIY Vintage ‘Happy Easter’ Eggs + Video
Whether hung from a branch in a window or decorating a piece of Easter artwork, these vintage-inspired “Happy Easter” eggs can be used in so many ways. Click here
Source: https://somuchbetterwithage.com/diy-vintage-happy-easter-eggs/
10. Book Page Easter Eggs
With trusty Mod Podge and old book pages, you can create vintage-inspired eggs fit for a bookworm. Click here
Source: https://www.stonegableblog.com/book-page-easter-eggs-diy/
11. Chocolate Surprise Eggs
It’s always fun to get messy in the kitchen, especially when it’s with chocolate, right? Here is how to make Easter chocolate surprise eggs. Click here
Source: https://www.craftberrybush.com/2014/03/chocolate-surprise-eggs.html
12. Egg Carton Chicks
A perfect idea to keep the kids entertained! You will only need a lot of imagination because I think you already have all the material at home. Don’t throw the egg carton away and there you have it Click here
Source: https://ecobnb.com/blog/2020/04/ecofriendly-easter-decorations/
13. DIY Spring Wreath
Deck out your door with a spring wreath — but instead of buying materials from the crafts store, you can make one with natural materials from your backyard. Click here
Source: https://rosemaryandpinesfiberarts.de/diy-spring-wreath/
14. DIY Easter Basket Ideas
Here, we pay tribute to springtime's riot of color with a collection of Easter basket ideas that would rival even the most vivid of rainbows. Click here
Source: https://www.marthastewart.com/274848/easter-basket-ideas
15. Eggshell Succulent Garden
This is such a sweet rustic farmhouse type of centerpiece and very inexpensive to pull off. If you happen to live in a place where there are small flowers already in bloom by Easter you could use those instead to make this project even more affordable! Click here
Source: https://lerobinsnest.blogspot.com/2011/04/diy-eggshell-planters.html
16. Spring Wreath from Hula Hoop
This is a gorgeous and simple large wreath design that you could pull off with supplies from the Dollar Store. I’ve seen word cut-outs like these at my local craft store, Dollar Store and Michael’s. Or you can make your own with a couple layers of cardboard. Click here
Source: https://www.livingletterhome.com/diy-hula-hoop-spring-wreath/
17. Wood Truck Craft with Seasonal Inserts
This unpainted wood truck craft kit comes with a wooden truck and truck bed inserts that swap out for different seasons and holidays. Click here
Source: https://www.thecraftpatchblog.com/wood-truck-craft-with-seasonal-inserts/
18. How To Make A Tassel Wreath
Learn how to make a cute and festive tassel wreath from yarn and a wooden embroidery hoop. Click here
Source: https://www.thecraftpatchblog.com/how-to-make-a-tassel-wreath/
19. Centerpiece Ideas
I’m looking forward to spring as we shuffle through the snowy embrace of winter, and can’t wait to see what blooms to life for you with these fun easter crafts. Click here
Source: https://thehousethatlarsbuilt.com/2024/03/easter-centerpiece-ideas.html/
20. DIY Dried Orange Garland
This DIY dried orange garland is an incredibly easy way to add budget friendly decor around the house, particularly around the holiday season!. Click here
Source: https://www.livingletterhome.com/diy-dried-orange-garland/
FAQs
Q1. What are some eco-friendly alternatives to plastic Easter eggs?
You can use salt dough eggs, wooden eggs, fabric eggs, or paper mache eggs as sustainable alternatives. These options are biodegradable or reusable, reducing environmental impact while still allowing for creative decoration.
Q2. How can I create natural dyes for Easter eggs?
Natural dyes can be made from common kitchen ingredients. For example, beets create pink to maroon hues, red cabbage produces blue, turmeric yields bright yellow, and onion skins develop orange to rusty red tones. Simply simmer the ingredient with water, vinegar, and salt to create the dye.
Q3. What are some sustainable options for Easter basket fillers?
Instead of plastic grass, consider using shredded recycled paper, natural raffia or wool fibers, dried moss, real straw, or even living wheatgrass. These eco-friendly alternatives add texture and color to your baskets without harming the environment.
Q4. How can I make an eco-friendly Easter wreath?
Create a sustainable Easter wreath using a grapevine base adorned with seasonal elements like pussy willow, dried grasses, or flowers. You can also craft felt bunnies or paper egg garlands from recycled materials for a festive touch that's easy to store and reuse.
Q5. What are some ideas for sustainable Easter table decorations?
For eco-friendly table centerpieces, consider potted spring bulbs, branches of pussy willow in recycled glass containers, or beeswax candles. Use cloth napkins and borrow extra plates for larger gatherings to minimize waste. Small bud vases with dried lavender or bunny tails can add charming accents to your tablescape.