Easter is a lovely holiday. It's like Christmas without the pressure of weeks of shopping and catering preparations. It also marks the beginning of spring; a change in season that is always welcome, particularly when the weather is expected to improve. The days are getting longer and brighter and outside is less bleak. Leaves are budding on the trees, bulbs are starting to peek through the muddy flower beds and your cat starts hunting again (those poor baby birds).

Easter in 2008 comes early and will be held this year on Sunday 23rd March. The date for this festival is a movable feast changing each year and is decided by the cycle of the moon.

Easter comes at the end of Lent when traditionally Christians have been fasting for forty days. After denying themselves good Christians are ready for some feasting. The egg symbolises new life and Easter recognises the rebirth of Christ. This is the reason we celebrate with chocolate eggs, simnel cake with marzipan eggs and roast spring lamb. For the non-religious Easter is a celebration of spring and the egg is also a symbol of this season with newly hatched chicks in abundance.

Easter Gifts to give this year:

Chocolate eggs are given to celebrate but with a tendancy towards a more healthy lifestyle people are shunning piles of sugar-laden chocolate for something that is better for them. Whether that is a small amount of delicious organic chocolate or giving non-chocolate gifts. Some people combine the two, a new egg cup filled with a chocolate egg or a new special mug stuffed with chocolates. Everyone likes to receive some chocolate at Easter but less is more and quality goes a long way. One way of celebrating is with a chicken themed gift, maybe a Hen on a Nest that can be filled with real or chocolate eggs. Or perhaps by giving a new breakfast set decorated with a chicken pattern - a lovely new teapot or milk jug will always get the day off to a better start.