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Easter is around the corner and, with spring in full bloom, feelings of rebirth and revitalization are all around. So what better way to celebrate Easter than with a story that has lived many, many lives?
From Disney’s Alice in Wonderlandto The Looking Glass Wars, Lewis Carroll’s creation has gone through a constant cycle of rebirth and reinvention. In fact, Alice and the Wonderland characters have even been reimagined as amazing Easter eggs.
Here are our favorite Alice in Wonderland-inspired Easter egg designs.
Disney, unsurprisingly, loves capitalizing on Easter with a wide variety of Easter eggs decorated with the likenesses of their most popular characters. Alice and friends make the cut, of course, at Hong Kong Disneyland with precise renditions of the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, and Alice herself. The pleasing color palette and friendly artistry convey the magic and whimsy of both Wonderland and Disneyland. The Cheshire Cat is a particular highlight, the deep purple coloring perfectly matches the surrounding foliage and his curling, mischievous grin is an excellent fit for the contours of an egg.
No discussion of Alice would be complete without the inclusion of Tim Burton’s singular 2010 reimagining. Enter the late John “The Egg Man” Lamouranne’s brilliant rendition of Burton’s surrealist gothic style. Lamouranne even used eggs for the bodies of the characters, amplifying the whimsical nature of their designs. The funny thing about these eggs is how similar they are to their big screen counterparts. The Red Queen’s oversized head is perfect for an egg while Tweedledum and Tweedledee don’t seem to have changed a bit, and the Cheshire Cat’s grin, once again, is delightfully magnified by the egg’s curves.
Many of the styles featured in this article require lots of time and lots of artistic (and egg-related) experience to achieve. Yet these DIY designs are perfect for a parent-child arts and crafts day. Tim Burton’s Red Queen and the original Disney Cheshire Cat continue to be standouts given their egg-friendly dimensions. The heavy use of craft paper creates a pleasing texture and promises a low level of difficulty for Alice-obsessed kids. The doily used for the Red Queen’s ruff gives her a royal flair while the vibrant purple used for the Cheshire Cat’s head perfectly complements the deeper shade of the body.
Back in 2016, the ritzy Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore created their own edible Wonderland with a collection of expertly decorated chocolate eggs. The detail in the icing used for the Mad Hatter’s and the Red Queen’s hair is particularly impressive and the alternating purple and pink icing on the Cheshire Cat gives him lifelike definition. Interestingly, Shangri-La Hotel also used a mix of designs from both Tim Burton’s filmand the original Disney adaptation. It’s unlikely that Mr. Burton was thinking about his character’s suitability for egg designs when making the film, yet it appears they will live on in egg form for many Easters to come.
With over 15 years of experience working at Disneyland, it’s not surprising that artist Ray Brown nailed these renditions of two of the Mouse House’s most famous characters. His linework and shading is beautiful, capturing the Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit in all their whimsical glory. The elongation of the Cheshire Cat’s grin, wrapping around both sides of the egg, accentuates his impish nature and the offset eyes highlight the feline’s hypnotic qualities. Furthermore, Brown’s judicious linework defining the White Rabbit’s face makes the natural texture of the shell actually look like fur.
It would seem a shame to ruin this beautiful creation by Sweet Art by Kat by eating it, but, boy, is it tempting. The use of icing for the Queen of Hearts’ red roses and the door make this look absolutely delectable. The detail here is simply stunning. The roses are full and vibrant while the grooves in the wood of the door give the piece a lifelike quality that transforms it into a work of art. The imagination and technical expertise shown in this design are a perfect homage to the same qualities evidenced by Lewis Carroll in his writing of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Disney definitely knows how to celebrate a holiday. This entry is from Disney’s annual Easter egg exhibition at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa (running until April 10). Disney artists delved into the White Rabbit’s time motif for this year’s offering, resulting in an enthralling piece loaded with the same level of detail and beauty found in Wonderland itself. The design of the clock numbers offers a whimsical compliment to the industrial nature of the inner gears while the classic Alice, White Rabbit, and Cheshire Cat figures are a pleasing garnish on a fantastic piece.
Veteran Disney artist Bridget McCarty is a brilliant creator whose work includes illustrations, sculptures, painted pumpkins, and, of course, Easter eggs. Her delightful depictions of Alice and the Cheshire Cat are bursting with life and color. McCarty elegantly captures Alice’s enthusiasm and curiosity, a big feat on such a small canvas. The choice of teal for the background makes Alice pop off the shell while the sprinkling of glitter taps into the fun and whimsy of Wonderland. Her rendition of the Chesire Cat is arguably the best on this list, imbuing him with a sense of joy and kindness.
This Wonderland Easter egg diorama is a tad more advanced than our other DIY entry but the design, from Michele Atwood’s The Main Street Mouse, would be a perfect addition to any Easter vignette. Inspired by the 1951 film, the diorama features Alice alongside the Red Queen, Cheshire Cat, and Tweedledum and Tweedledee, all enjoying an Easter egg hunt. Supplies are minimal, including craft paper, glue, and, of course, scissors. This charming craft would be a wonderful Easter activity for an older child or an adult looking to recapture the magic of Wonderland.
Like its Disney brethren, EPCOT also celebrates Easter with some Alice in Wonderland-themed Easter eggs. The 2023 Egg-Stravaganza, an Easter egg scavenger hunt, features twelve Disney Rabbits, including the White Rabbit and the March Hare. The White Rabbit’s egg really plays up his harried nature while the yellow collar gives the piece a pop of fresh springtime color. Meanwhile, the mad March Hare goes for comedy with his long floppy ears and discombobulated eyes. The scavenger hunt also includes a prize packet which includes a whimsical Cheshire Cat Easter egg.
Whether it’s Princess Alyss, Hatter Madigan, Queen Redd, or Bibwit Hare, use this easy Image Transfer Guide to show your Looking Glass pride this Easter season.
An itinerant storyteller, John Drain attended the University of Edinburgh before studying film at DePaul University in Chicago and later earned an MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute Conservatory. John focuses on writing mysteries and thrillers featuring characters who are thrown into the deep end of the pool and struggle to just keep their heads above water. His work has been recognized by the Academy Nicholls Fellowship, the Austin Film Festival, ScreenCraft, Cinestory, and the Montreal Independent Film Festival. In a previous life, John created and produced theme park attractions across the globe for a wide variety of audiences. John keeps busy in his spare time with three Dungeons and Dragons campaigns and a seemingly never-ending stack of medieval history books.