Finally another term has come to an end! At this time of year we celebrate Easter, learn more about the origins behind the holiday and how we celebrate…
Chocolate
The Taste Chocolate Festival in Bristol has over 30 exhibits where you can try indulgent, beautifully-crafted chocolates. There will be plenty of Easter eggs, so it’s perfect for chocolate lovers!
What are the origins of Lent?
Many of us have given up luxuries like chocolate over the past 40 days, but why do we do it? In the Christian calendar, Lent is a time of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. Christians represent Jesus’ sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days by surrendering the consumption of their favourite food.
Easter food
The Polo Bar in London is hosting the ultimate breakfast challenge. The ‘Breggfast’ sandwich is made of fluffy eggy bread, smoked salmon, a poached egg, avocado, a fried egg, grilled bacon, a boiled egg and a sausage. If you can eat the whole thing in 10 minutes, you’ll get it for free.
The Breakfast Club in Brighton will be giving their pancakes an Easter makeover. The pancakes will be smothered with Crème Egg chocolate sauce and vanilla cream, they’ll even add a whole Crème Egg to top it off.
Hanging baskets
Nothing says spring more than freshly grown flowers. B&Qs nationwide will be hosting hanging basket workshops to teach you how to make your own Easter decorations. Take them home for only £8.
Easter egg hunts
On Friday 30th March (Good Friday) you can find traditional Easter eggs hunts at Sutton House, Forty Hall and Osterley Park. For a more adult-friendly vibe, there will be a hunt at POP Brixton. Similarly, St Pancras Station will be hiding fluffy chicks in different shops around the station. Find the code at the bottom of the chick and ask for your prize at the shop counter!
What are the origins of Easter eggs?
The egg symbolises new life, fertility and, rebirth. In many cultures, there is a tradition of decorating eggs on Nowruz – the Iranian New Year which falls on the Spring Equinox.
For Christians, the Easter egg is symbolic of the resurrection of Jesus. Eggs are dyed red to represented his crucifixion. The hard shell of the egg represents the sealed Tomb of Christ, and cracking the shell represents Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
Over time, these egg traditions have transformed into what we know as modern Easter celebrations.
- Chocolate Easter eggs: in the 17th and 18th centuries, eggs were given as a gift over Easter. Toy makers then developed an egg shaped toy that was often filled with sweets. The ultimate egg-shaped Easter gifts were the jewelled creations of Carl Fabergé. At the beginning of the 19th century, the first chocolate egg was crafted. It became a customary gift to give over the Easter holidays.
- Easter eggs hunts: these date back to the 18th century. An egg-laying hare – called Oschter Haws – would lay eggs in the grass. Children were encouraged to find the eggs and build nests around them (now we collect the eggs in baskets).
- Egg rolling races: eggs are rolled as a symbolic re-enactment of the rolling away of the stone from Christ’s tomb. Fun fact – the ‘Easter Egg Roll’ is an annual event that is held on the White House lawn.
Written by Anastasia K.