Some families who do not entertain during Lent like to have a dinner party on Easter Sunday. Whether dinner is served in the early afternoon or in the evening, the traditional spring lamb roast or baked Easter ham is usually the featured dish. Tiny new potatoes, at least one green vegetable such as peas or asparagus, and some special dessert, possibly the current favorite of the college youngsters home for vacation, are traditional in such dinners.

Decoration and color scheme for this family event usually develop almost without a special plan on the part of the hostess. In the country or suburbs in many parts of the land forsythia is in bloom, and the first garden flowers such as tulips are ready to cut and arrange on the table and throughout the house. City hosts have no such resources, but they may receive a box of Easter flowers from a florist sent by some relative invited to the dinner, or they buy flowers from the corner stands and flower shops.

Well suited to this occasion is a coupé of assorted chilled melon balls for the first-course fruit, scalloped eggs and tomatoes, broiled lamb chops with fresh mint garnish, and pan-browned potatoes as the hot dishes, and small hot muffins, strawberry jam, cinnamon cake, and coffee. Lamb chops may be omitted and crisp bacon served on the eggs.

An alternate menu for brunch might be: a section of chilled cantaloupe garnished with pitted black cherries, eggs Gruyere, broiled thin slices of Easter ham, brown-and-serve biscuits, gooseberry jam or apple butter, pancake pie and coffee.

SCALLOPED EGGS AND TOMATOES
1 ripe tomato for each person to be served
Salt and pepper
Butter
1 egg for each person
Grated Parmesan cheese

Another spring holiday, which inspires family and community parties, is Arbor Day or Plant A Tree Day. First observed on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska, an Arbor Day is now observed in every state in the Union, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico but on various dates. It is a legal holiday in Florida the third Friday in January, in Nebraska April 22, in Utah the second Monday in April.

In order to promote the good purpose of Arbor Day, several organizations have been urging that the last Friday of April be selected as National Arbor Day in the northern, middle western, and western states and that families, communities, schools, churches and organizations make it an occasion for planting trees.

New England clam chowder and Maryland corn-and-crab chowder are universally popular as well as delicious and filling. With either one serve large, seasoned chowder crackers (one brand, which comes in a tall round can, is called Sea Biscuits): spread crackers with butter, sprinkle with celery salt or a mixture of dried herbs, such as basil, oregano, and marjoram, and crisp in hot oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Since the chowder is the main dish, servings should be larger than usual and in deep soup bowls. Your best green salad might follow the chowder and a generous cheese tray, with coffee. Or omit the salad and simply serve an especially good party dessert, such as a chocolate roll cake and coffee. In some families, the one and only dessert served after chowder is deep-dish apple pie with Cheddar cheese.

Another spring holiday, which inspires family and community parties, is Arbor Day or Plant A Tree Day. First observed on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska, an Arbor Day is now observed in every state in the Union, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico but on various dates. It is a legal holiday in Florida the third Friday in January, in Nebraska April 22, in Utah the second Monday in April.

In order to promote the good purpose of Arbor Day, several organizations have been urging that the last Friday of April be selected as National Arbor Day in the northern, middle western, and western states and that families, communities, schools, churches and organizations make it an occasion for planting trees.