Apparently, Chocolate Easter Eggs originated in France and Germany. They were a 19th century invention.

Cadbury's produced its first Easter egg in 1875. It was a dark chocolate egg filled with sugar-coated dragees. (I wish Cadbury's was still Fairtrade!)

In my childhood, I remember every chocolate egg was filled with sweets or chocolates. I used to try to halve my chocolate egg exactly on the join, to release the hidden sweets. But if I failed, I always scoffed the broken bits of egg first!

Then Easter Eggs appeared with full-sized chocolate bars on the outside. It seemed wrong. I always felt that the manufacturer could have at least tried to fit them inside! Maybe made them smaller, or taken the wrappers off, or something?

I knew nothing about bottom line, profit and competition between brands then. I thought I'd asked for the one I liked best. But maybe it was the one with the best tv advert, or the one my best friend wanted? But really, it didn't matter - it was chocolate, and a LOT of it!

It was a far cry from the boiled egg that I'd had to decorate for Sunday School in Latheronwheel. I remember spending a good deal of time on it. And I was pleased with the result! But, come judging on Easter Sunday, mine did not even figure in the Top 3! Not being one to give-up, I tried again the following year. Same result! Being handed a chocolate Easter Egg by my Mum took the sting out the situation.

I'd learnt a life lesson: chocolate can sweeten any disappointment!

I don't remember the concept of the Easter Bunny - and especially one that laid eggs! That would have been too unbelievable for a country girl. I would have spent too long pondering over its ancestry. A possible relative of reptiles, turtles, or maybe the duck-billed platapus? Naw! No chance! (Fairies were still real, of course!)

So, Easter Bunny believers, search for those chocolate eggs in the garden if you must! But now that we're a bit older, maybe just pop one directly into your mouth instead? Why make things so difficult? Why delay that chocolate hit?

HAPPY EASTER !!