When you prepare an Easter brunch, you spend a lot of time and attention on it. You invite people, you make a planning for what you want to eat and what you still have to buy groceries, you are busy decorating the eggs, in short, you put a lot of energy into it. And then … Then the table has to be set. Setting the table for a festive brunch isn’t that difficult when you consider a few small things.
A festively set table adds to the festive spirit. You show your guests that you value their presence and that you show it through the beautifully decorated table. You can put your sandwich fillings in the packages and bags on the table as you bought them, but that does detract from the atmosphere and it certainly does not do justice to your work and preparations.
Table linen
The table bottom sheet
This is the first and largest tablecloth you put on the table. Make sure it is clean and ironed. It’s just a small detail, but you can really see the difference. Also make sure that it is a neutral tablecloth. So a white tablecloth or a cream.
Napperon or decorative cloth
A Napperon is a small tablecloth that goes over the large tablecloth. This one is nicely colored. For Easter you can think of a soft yellow or soft green Napperon. The best thing is to place it diagonally across your table.
Setting the table
Chairs
As strange as it sounds, start by putting as many chairs around the table as you will get guests. This gives you an idea of how much space there is on the table. Also sit on an extra chair and possibly ask your children or your partner if they also want to “test sit”. Do you have enough room for the elbows? Do you suffer from the table leg? Pay attention to this so that you can seat your guests as easily as possible. One of your family members has to sit in the awkward spot near the table leg.
Now place the plates
The plates should be about one to an inch and a half from the edge, centered in front of the chair. Also place the plates opposite each other at a square or elongated table. Make sure you have straight lines between the placement of one board and the other. Symmetry is the keyword here.
Cutlery
Put the knife on the right side of the plate. Place it with the cutting edge towards the board. If you are serving a cup of soup with brunch, place a ladle next to the knife, but on the outside of it. The fork will be on the left. Remember, you are eating from the outside in, as it were, and most of the people are right-wing.
Suppose your brunch consists of soup, a small salad and then a sandwich meal with eggs. Then you set the table with 2 plates and a soup bowl. The soup bowl for the soup, the top plate for the salad and the bottom plate for the bread meal. To the right of the plate, from the inside out, from the plate, 1 knife for the bread meal, 1 knife for the salad and 1 soup spoon. To the left of the plate (again looking from the inside out, counting from the plate) is 1 fork for the bread meal and 1 fork for the salad.
Glasses and cups
At the top right, place the fruit juice glass and your coffee or tea cup. The egg cup can also be placed there. You can place the egg spoon on top of the egg cup or above the plate. Symmetry is also important when setting the table. If you have provided your table with crockery and cutlery, see if every place is set the same. Whether the cutlery is at the same height and whether it looks neat, so without dried water droplets.
Now you can set the rest of the table. Depending on the number of people you can choose to put one or two dishes with marmalade or jam on the table. And this also applies to the meat products and the butter. It is very annoying to have to get up every time to get something, or to ask your table mates over and over to pass something on. Do not forget to place small forks on the dishes with cheese and cold cuts. Ditto with the jam or marmalade spoon.
Napkins
Depending on the space you have, you can either put a napkin on the plate, or fold a napkin nicely. You can also put a napkin under your knife and spoon. Pay attention to this too and see what looks the most beautiful and also here money, note the symmetry. Because even though there is a lot on a table, it doesn’t have to look messy and full.
Flowers
If you want to place an Easter piece in the shape of a flower arrangement on the table, keep the following things in mind:
- Do not place a 40 cm high Easter piece in the center of the table. In this way you ensure that people cannot see each other and therefore have to talk around them.
- If you still want to use a high table piece, place it in a place where it will not be a burden, eg on the short side of a table where no one is seated.
The keyword is small and subtle. For example, a simple tulip that is simply on the table can be a very beautiful decoration. Just keep in mind that you take the tulip out of the water in time and put the bottom of the stem in aluminum foil to prevent stains.
And for the rest? Relax and enjoy your Easter brunch. You worked hard enough for it, you deserved it!