Looks like you have not added anything in your basket. Go ahead and explore Top Categories
Nowadays, chocolate eggs are probably the first thing that we all associate with Easter. They’re so popular that around 80 million are sold each year in the UK alone! But have you ever stopped to think about where the tradition came from?
Eggs have been associated with Easter long before they were made of chocolate and packed in eye-catching boxes. They’ve been on a long and interesting journey that lead their current form. From their very first incarnation through to the fun-filled treats we love today, we bet there’s more to Easter eggs than you think! So, here’s a quick rundown of the Easter egg throughout history.
Symbolism is a huge factor behind the link between the egg and Easter. Throughout history, many cultures have associated eggs with fertility, spring and new life. Before modern farming had evolved, hens often wouldn’t lay eggs throughout the winter. So, when they did again in the spring, eggs weren’t only a symbol of new life, they were new life!
The egg has come to be an icon of new life of all forms, which is why it is associated with spring in general, not just Easter! It is for this reason that chicks and lambs are also linked to Easter. In Christianity, eggs have particularly strong symbolism, with the chick emerging from the egg representing Jesus’ resurrection. The eggshell is also representative of the rock that was rolled in front of the tomb in which he was buried.
There are also ties with the Easter Bunny, of course. With origins in German folklore, the Easter Bunny would actually lay eggs! But more importantly, it would assess whether children had been well-behaved during the Easter period. Then, if they had, it would deliver colourful eggs, sweets and other gifts to their homes. Obviously nowadays, the Easter Bunny also kickstarted the Easter egg hunt tradition, with people all over the world planning their own hunt each year.
Not only have eggs been symbolic for a long time, but they have long been decorated, too. Way back in the historic Mesopotamia region, early Christians would dye eggs red to symbolise the blood of Christ. Over time, this spread into the Orthodox Churches of Eastern Europe and Siberia, before eventually spreading to Catholic and Protestant Churches in the rest of Europe.
Designs became more extravagant, and decorating duck or hen eggs became part of the Lenten festival – a.k.a. Lent. They were decorated in the build up to Easter Sunday, as they were a forbidden food during the period of fasting. Then, when it came to an end, everyone would eat them in celebration. Even the biggest fan of hard boiled eggs would agree that we have it better with chocolate eggs nowadays!
Without doubt, the fanciest of decorated eggs are the Fabergé eggs. Commissioned by Tsar Alexander III of Russia in 1885, Carl Peter Fabergé oversaw the production of an ornate, highly detailed and decorative egg. The tsar was so impressed with the egg – an Easter gift for his wife – that he immediately ordered one for the following year. When his son Tsar Nicholas II took the throne, he continued the tradition and commissioned two a year himself, for his mother and his wife. In total 50 eggs were made, with each made by a team of artists, metalsmiths and other experts who lent their hand. In more recent times, the eggs have become highly sought after by art collectors, with examples having sold for tens of millions!
People have been making Easter gifts for centuries. But the link to our chocolate eggs comes a lot later than you may think. As recently as the Victorian era, in fact, when egg-shaped cases filled with chocolate treats were first given to children as an Easter present.
Hollow chocolate eggs like the ones we have today were also created in the Victorian era. In the UK, Fry’s saw the opportunity to get in on the act and created the first hollow chocolate egg in 1873. Solid chocolate eggs had existed beforehand in Germany and France, but Fry’s found a way to make liquid chocolate that could be moulded. Cadbury soon followed suit, and then the trend was cemented. From that point on, the chocolate Easter egg has gone from strength to strength, becoming the beloved treat that we all adore today!
In many ways, the whole Easter holiday is bigger than ever before, with Easter Sunday celebrations, school breaks and the wide range of delicious Easter chocolate commonplace. There is so much more choice than just Fry’s and Cadbury Easter eggs, with the most popular chocolate bars and even sweets boasting their own eggs. You’ll also find no end of Easter snacks, with Milkybar Mini Eggs, the Reese’s Peanut Butter Creme Eggs and of course, the ever-popular Cadbury Creme Egg – which has been around since 1971!
Here at Wholesale Sweets, you’ll find all of the latest Easter eggs from your favourite brands, with the perfect choice for all of your friends and family. From mini eggs that are perfect for an easter egg hunt, to chocolate bunnies and even Easter sweets, we have everything you will need for an eggstra special time! We’ve even created an Easter quiz that’s a perfect bit of fun for time spent with family at Easter.
