Sometimes Easter can feel more like a festival of chocolate than a period of religious significance. Hay Hampers were wondering - how did chocolate became associated with the season?

It all starts with the egg. Eggs as a symbol of Easter have their roots in paganism, where the coming of Spring was celebrated with potent fertility symbols such as eggs and bunnies. Eating eggs during Holy Week was also not allowed by the Christian Church, so eggs laid that week were saved and decorated to make them Holy Week eggs; a popular custom across Europe from before the Middle Ages.

In the 18th century, papier-maché eggs with small gifts within became popular. The first gifted chocolate Easter eggs appeared in France and Germany in the 19th Century. They started solid and became hollow as techniques developed - the Cadbury brothers being important innovators of technology. The earliest British chocolate eggs were made of dark chocolate with a plain smooth surface and were filled with dragees.

Whatever your beliefs, Easter today represents a time for celebrating new life, spring and fertility as well as the giving of decorated Easter eggs and gifts, egg hunts, bunnies and chicks, families coming together; they all combine so we can each enjoy the period in our own way, no matter how big or small the gesture.

The date of Easter is not fixed, and always falls on the first Sunday following the full moon after the spring equinox, making it any time between March 22 and April 25. Easter 2019 is very nearly the latest it could be. This gives Easter 2019 a unique feeling, with spring well established. So take the opportunity to get out over the holidays to enjoy British Spring time in all its glory!

Why not pop out and enjoy a picnic…