The weather is set fair, the sea is calm and the shops are full of chocolate goodies for what is promised to be one of the hottest (and latest) Easter weekends in a while. Note for the diary: it won’t be this late in April again until 2038.

Many traditions surround Easter, which is the Christian festival marking the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday and celebrating His resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Bunnies and buns

Fluffy rabbits and hot cross buns are synonymous with Easter. The Easter bunny can be traced back to the 19th century when people started associating large litters of baby rabbits – called kittens – as a symbol of new life. Then the story began to emerge of how the Easter bunny decorates and hides eggs, also representing new life. Children love hide and seek and it wasn’t long before the great Easter egg hunt was born. BUT in Switzerland Easter eggs are flown in by cuckoos while in some parts of Germany they are delivered by a fox.

Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, marking the end of Lent. The cross represents the crucifixion. They probably date back to the 14th century in St Albans, Hertfordshire with a monk called Thomas Rocliffe, but it’s hard to verify the exact origins of the sweet, sticky, doughy buns we enjoy today.

Eggsellent chocolate

Chocolate eggs are everywhere at Easter. It began with eggs not being eaten during Holy Week (the week before Easter) so these were saved and decorated as gifts for children. The Victorians took the tradition further with fancy bows and ribbons on cardboard eggs and now we have everything from chocolate teapots to ‘avocado’ eggs.

Whatever your Easter bunny needs from rabbit food to hutches, check out our country store. We hope you’ll be able to get out in the garden for a spot of alfresco dining, maybe relax in the summerhouse or enjoy the potting shed. Remember, we’re here for all your country living.

Happy Easter!