When is Easter and How is it Celebrated?

When is Easter?

Spring has sprung, and with it comes one of the most beloved holidays: Easter! From Easter egg hunts to bonnet parades, Easter is a time for celebration and gatherings with family and friends. And for those who gave up treats for Lent, it’s time to finally enjoy some tasty chocolate eggs. But have you ever wondered where these delicious traditions came from? It’s time to learn the rich history behind some of these tasty culinary customs!

Before we delve into the history of Easter traditions, let’s first uncover when Easter 2024 will fall this year. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox. That’s why there’s no set date for Easter each year! Depending on when the full moon arrives, Easter can fall anytime between the 21st of March and the 25th of April. This year Easter in the UK falls on Sunday 31th March:

2025 – 20th April

2026 – 5th April

2027 – 28th March

How did Easter begin?

Easter is one of the holiest days in the Christian calendar, celebrating the victory of life over death. According to the Bible, Christ died on the cross on Good Friday and his resurrections three days later, was said to prove he was the true son of God. It also signifies the end of the Lenten period, observed by many Christians.

While Jesus was believed to have lived between 4 BC and 36 AD, many of our Easter traditions date back to Pagan times, with the word Easter coming from ‘Eostre’ – the Goddess of rebirth and Spring.

Why do we have Easter eggs?

Hundreds of years ago, eggs were saved throughout Lent and eaten once again on Easter Sunday. Any eggs laid that week would be beautifully decorated and given to children as gifts.

As for chocolate Easter eggs, they appeared in the early 19th Century and were originally solid before Easter egg moulds evolved to create the chocolate shells we know and love today. At Thorntons, we look forward to gifting delicious chocolates for Easter just as much as you do. That’s why we have carefully crafted a range of treats that are perfect for all your nearest and dearest.

Where did the Easter Bunny come from?

Have you ever wondered where chocolate Easter bunnies originated? Well, the popular idea of the Easter bunny hopped along a little later in the 1700s, thanks to a tale from German folklore. In this mythological tale, a hare brings colourful eggs to well-behaved children at Easter time.

As the word spread, more people began decorating eggs and leaving them for the hare to collect, slowly becoming the symbol of Easter. The tale recounts how only the best-behaved children received the treats.

Easter chocolate to gift and share

Here at Thorntons we have been crafting and hand-icing our delicious chocolate Easter eggs since 1922 – and that’s a lot of eggs! Over time, we’ve adapted and improved our recipes to bring you delicious eggs and fabulously crafted chocolate models – ideal as Easter gifts or as a prize in an egg hunt.

Today, we still hand-ice our Easter treats… who wouldn’t appreciate an Easter egg with their name on it – then they know you’ve chosen it just for them! Or if you’re hosting a family gathering or want to really treat someone this Easter, take a look at our seasonal hampers, filled with delicious treats for all to share.

Wondering how you can treat your family and friends to a chocolate Easter basket this year? Here are the top gifts that you can find in our range:

• Personalised Easter Egg Gifts – make your Easter gift extra special with our personalised Thorntons chocolates. You can add personalised hand-iced messages with a length ranging up to 30 characters on our Thorntons Easter eggs!

• Large Easter Eggs – for a luxurious gift, surprise your friends and family with a large chocolate Easter egg. Our range is made with delicious milk chocolate and comes with hand-iced Easter wishes.

• Kids Easter Eggs – if you’re looking for Easter treats for your little ones, we’ve got flavours to suit all tastes. From delectable white chocolate Easter eggs to scrumptious milk chocolate options.

You can also find chocolate hampers with luxurious champagne-flavoured truffles and sharing sets if you’re gifting for a group.

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Why Thorntons

For over a century, Thorntons has specialised in crafting high quality chocolate, sweets, toffee, fudge and other confectionery.

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