Whether you’re young, old, or somewhere in between, it’s always fun to celebrate the holidays by decorating Easter eggs, especially with an adult spin. Fortunately, a cruelty-free Easter is easier to come by than ever with five of the coolest vegan “egg” alternatives we’ve seen.

The billions of chickens used every year for their eggs endure ridiculous and unnecessary cruelty that, according to PETA, lasts for two whole years until they’re finally slaughtered for low-grade chicken meat. During that brief time they’re alive, though, their beaks are often seared off, the hens are stored in tiny cages where they’re unable to spread their wings, and they are manipulated into producing more eggs through artificial light and calorie restriction. If you’d like to find out more, visit PETA’s informative expose here.

So, now that you know why we’re suggesting an alternative Easter, we can begin to offer you some vegan substitutes that are more humane, more fun, more creative, and longer lasting. Gone are the days of contributing to unnecessary factory farm cruelty by boiling and dip-dyeing traditional Easter eggs, because ours are the perfect canvases for materials like glitter, acrylic paint, tissue paper, and more. These “eggs” will last on display for several seasons to come, and if done well, they’ll look like a dozen of the most beautiful designer decorations you never knew you could make!

1. Ceramic Eggs

EggNots is a newer ceramic product designed to look and feel like a real egg. It was developed as a solution for the founder’s niece and her food allergy to eggs, but eventually became a mainstream product that is perfect for vegans, traditionalists, hobbyists, and crafters.

The ceramic is actually able to be dyed, like a hen’s egg, but can also take other materials, like paints and decoupage, very well. There’s no mess or smell from boiling, no refrigeration required, and these can last for many years. The decorated result would look beautiful placed in a pretty bowl, in a glass jar, or nestled in a modern basket, plus the company also offers little decorative hangers that attach to the eggs for different display options.

2. Wooden Eggs

Wooden “eggs” have actually been around for quite some time, but can be easily overlooked as a fun way to decorate Easter eggs if you’re not familiar with the product. The set we found appear to be very well made and can be found at Snuggly Monkey’s shop on Etsy. The flat bottom allows them to stand on their own and they’re another great eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastic ester eggs. These are great for painting, stamping, or wood burning, but can even be left in their natural state with a coat of non-toxic polish or sealant. Try painting half and leaving the other half unfished for a colorful look that still has a natural appeal.

3. “Plastic” Eggs

Eco Eggs are a hen’s and plastic egg alternative that are made in the USA completely out of plant material, which is 100 percent renewable and recyclable content, as opposed to their petroleum-based counterparts. Not only are they made locally, rather than overseas, but these colorful and nostalgic eggs can be filled with your favorite treats just like the plastic variety. These can be decorated, as well, with a little imagination and the right materials, like puffy paints, glitter, and rhinestones.

4. Papier Mache Eggs

Papier mache eggs can be purchased or homemade and offer another super solution to regular eggs. If you’d rather buy them so they’re ready to be decorated right away, then we’d suggest these from Amazon. Paint these, adorn these, decoupage these, or try out some washi tape for a fun result.

If you’d rather customize and prefill your papier mache eggs, then we suggest checking out this amazing and adorable tutorial from Not Martha. She uses water balloons to create the shape, tissue paper to cover the outside and a few other tricks to get these cuties just right, but the end result looks totally worth it.

5. Clay Eggs

Clay “eggs” are a little more difficult to find premade, which is why opting for a fun DIY project is probably the best alternative in this case. There are a couple of ways that we know of to make polymer clay eggs, one is with the use of a mold if you’re not feeling too confident in your egg shaping skills, and the other is simply by rolling the material around in your hands. We found a great silicone mold from Natural Republic on Etsy that will allow you to shape your clay in fun ways. And here on Raising Veg Kids there’s a non-toxic tutorial that calls for hand shaping complete with a simple clay recipe.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our Easter egg alternatives and definitely want to see your holiday creations. Share them with us on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Image of Easter Eggs via Shutterstock

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Are you hosting an Easter brunch or dinner this year and want to decorate your home and table, but aren’t really into cutesy bunnies and plastic Easter eggs? Never fear, we have some more grown-up Easter decorations to rescue you.

Easter, while definitely a favorite holiday for kids, is for adults too. And  it is possible to add a bit of luxury, sophistication and class to your Easter table and we are here to help with some ideas and inspiration.

Here are 10 luxe Easter decorations to add a bit of style to your Easter celebration this year. From stunning flower centerpieces to a gorgeous wreath and more, add luxury to your Easter table.

1. Ombré Easter Eggs – What a stunning tabletop display ombre Easter eggs would make. Make sure to use natural dyes, so you can eat them too.
2. Egg & Cherry Blossom Tree – Grab some branches from a flowering tree or bush (like cherry or dogwood tree or a forsythia bush) and some handpainted “blossom” eggs for gorgeous and creative Easter decorations.
3. Clover Basket – Create a stunning Easter basket centerpiece by using botanicals like clover and moss allow with a pretty basket and silk ribbon. Add some painted blown eggs to complete your Easter decorations.
4. Paper Flowers – Make your own spring blooms from paper. Choose to craft pretty paper tulips or fuller and lusher tissue paper blooms.
5. Tulip Wreath – Here is a great video tutorial for making a tremendous tulip wreath for your front door. Use the tutorials above for making your own paper tulips and use twisted paper bags as your base for a greener version.
6. Eggshell Vases – Blown out egg shells make the perfect vessels for holding a lovely spring bouquet and make great Easter decorations.
7. Eggshell Candles – Make your own Easter-themed candles from egg shells for a sweetly dramatic table display.
8. Birdhouse Centerpiece – Create a showy centerpiece with a pretty birdhouse, dyed eggs, moss and other natural elements.
9. Spring Hydrangea Wreath – For a more eco-friendly version of this idea, use natural burlap and fresh hydrangea blooms.
10. Pretty Egg Carton Favor Boxes – Even grown-ups like Easter chocolates. Create a more elegant version of the Easter basket using this project as a guide.

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Top Image: ElegantWreath

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