Why do we have chocolate at Easter?

Easter is that wonderful time of the year when flowers are in bloom and spring is fully underway. But here at Shedquarters, the most exciting aspect of the season is that you are allowed to gorge on sweet treats, guilt-free and without judgement!

Although we know Easter originates from a religious holiday, chocolate is often the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of the annual occasion, closely followed by the Easter Bunny. But why do we eat chocolate at Easter and where does the tradition come from?

Why chocolate?

The history of eating chocolate at Easter can be traced back to the Christian tradition of Lent. Historically, Christians avoided eating animal products, including dairy, in the lead-up to the annual holiday, and while more recently fewer people specifically cut out animal products, many still try to give up something they enjoy.

It’s no surprise then that if people are giving up something they love, chocolate is often top of that list! This means many people taking part in Lent (and even those not not taking part) will celebrate Easter by enjoying those delicious things they have previously sacrificed.

Why do we have eggs at Easter?

Eggs have, for hundreds of years, been used as a symbol of new life during springtime. During Lent, when animal products were forbidden to eat in Christian communities, people would decorate the otherwise redundant eggs and give them as gifts for Easter.

Although these days Easter is celebrated by many different people all over the globe, gifting eggs has stuck around. Over time, these eggs have been developed into the many different chocolate varieties we see today which maintain their appeal to children and adults alike, for obvious reasons!

Alternatives to chocolate at Easter

Despite the long history of the humble Easter egg, most people are just excited to get their hands on tasty goodies. Although many people still like to give sweet treats to their loved ones during this time, with 80 million Easter eggs sold in the UK each year, many people are stuck wondering what to give at Easter instead of chocolate eggs.

There are many alternatives to Easter eggs that can be given instead and we at Popcorn Shed believe our Easter popcorn gifts may be the answer that you are looking for! With a wide variety of products including cookies and cream popcorn, chocolate popcorn and salted caramel popcorn, we have your seasonal gifts with a twist covered!

We also know that sending gifts to loved ones can be difficult when we don’t know their schedule. That’s why our Easter letterbox gifts are another great alternative as you don’t even have to worry about the lucky recipient being home when it arrives!