Easter is just around the corner, and as much as the times may change, Easter eggs remain the go-to craft of the season. However, traditional Easter egg dyeing can be sort of blah, and there's a pretty good chance you haven't done it since elementary school — but I'm here to tell you it's time to revisit the age-old practice with some Easter egg decorating ideas for millennials. Eggs have been part of Easter for centuries, and whether you're religious or not, eggs make total sense as a symbol of springtime, rebirth, and new beginnings. And why not juxtapose that poignant symbolism with some hashtag-worthy imagery? Options for decorating are literally endless, but I've compiled nine ideas to inspire your own creations.
As opposed to hard-boiling dozens of eggs and realizing each of these ideas, I've laid them out as a sort of guideline to spur your egg-decorating minds. To make any of these as actual eggs, you have a few options — traditional boiling and dyeing, vegan ceramic faux-eggs, wooden eggs, blown-out eggshells, or any other egg-shaped medium of your choice. Obviously some have a longer shelf-life than others, but there's something about an egg with a looming expiration date that perfectly resonates with ever-evolving millennial content.
Each of these ideas has been boiled down to the bare minimum, so they should be easy to translate onto your curved (and likely delicate) surface. Gather some dyes, paints, permanent markers, paint pens, Sharpies, or whatever else works with your medium, and get trending.
1. Apps
As we all know, there is pretty much an app for everything these days. These make great egg decorations, because they tend to be super simple and lay over a colored gradient. Just dip your egg in the background color, let it dry, and draw or paint on your icon.
2. Interweb symbols
The Internet speaks a language all its own, and millennials are fluent. Is that heart just a heart? Oh no, it is a like, and a like is worth a thousand words. Bet you didn't know you could double-tap an egg. But the Facebook thumbs up means "like" too! And is that a reblog button or a retweet button? Ask your nearest millennial for clarification.
3. Slang that nobody over 30 understands
Decorate eggs with millennial slang at your own risk. If you're entertaining family, you can be sure that every one of your elders will be profoundly confused, and you will need to decode — with the knowledge that they still won't fully get it. To be honest, I think I heard "woes" for the first time about a week ago, so by Easter Sunday it may be obsolete. Just keep it PG so you're not stuck explaining "thirst" to your grandpa.
4. The cast of Empire
If there's one thing millennials love, it's gossip. Or maybe it's drama. Or maybe it's trendy rap lyrics. Whichever it is, Empire has them all, plus a heavy dose of buzzwords and extravagant fashion. Empire is like a Twitter war come to life, and what better way to pay tribute to the Lyon family than with... Easter eggs?
5. The cast of Pretty Little Liars
The latest PLL season may be over, but enthusiasm for the Rosewood gang and their endless mysteries has not even begun to slow down. If anything, the theories surrounding "A" are at an all-time high. From speculations about secret twins and anagrams to questions like "is so-and-so really dead?!" the truth is ever-elusive. With nearly 3 million Twitter followers, millennials can't get enough. A little hair (coifed and highlighted, obviously) painted on your eggs, and Aria's iconic whisper finger are all you need to Liar-ify your Easter eggs.
If PLL or Empire aren't your jam, go with your favorite TV show. Maybe the cast of Girls, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Friends, The OC, or even your favorite reality stars and hosts.
6. Taylor Swift and Meredith (her cat, duh)
Without the cat, this would just be a blonde girl, possibly identifiable as Taylor Swift. Without Taylor, this would just be an adorable cat. But if you're a millennial, you know that this is T-Swift and her Instagram-famous cat, Meredith Grey. Extra points for Meredith Grey being named after Grey's Anatomy's Meredith Grey, because millennials love anything meta.
7. Everyone's favorite millennial sisters, Kendall and Kylie Jenner
Although you're welcome to go full Kardashian and egg-ify the entire family, Kendall and Kylie are by far the most millennial. The lips alone have sparked a never-ending discussion. Each selfie begs the question, did she or didn't she get plastic surgery? And can I make my own lips look that pouty? Whether they admit it or not, every millennial has attempted "Kylie lips," and now it's your Easter egg's turn.
8. One Direction
Any band is fair game here, but who's more millennial than these cuties? Include Zayn at your own risk, but know that it may spark some controversy. Signature hair-dos, facial hair, and accessories are all you really need to differentiate one egg boy-bander from another.
9. If you have to ask, you'll never know
I've already covered the most millennial of all millennial iconography, emojis, but there's a plethora of other symbols that millennials universally love. The options here know no bounds, and you can get as niche or deep-web as you like. I'd probably throw in a Starbucks cup, alien head, mustache, Grumpy Cat, and a Shiba Inu for good measure.
And there you have it! An entire squad of Easter eggs to confuse your relatives and make your fellow millennials #LOL.
Images: Jenna Wexler
