Moveable Feast
Easter is one of the moveable feasts of the Christian religion. It is usually celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after March 21. Therefore it can occur on any Sunday from March 22 through to April 25. Eastern Orthodox Churches take other factors into consideration, so they may celebrate Easter later.
Why Bunny & Why Egg?
Graeme Quirk explained how eggs and rabbits came to be linked to the celebration of Easter.
In the Northern Hemisphere Easter occurs in the spring, and coincides with pagan rebirth and fertility festivals. Eggs have been a symbol of new life and resurrection since ancient times. Rabbits and hares have long been associated with the fertility of spring because they themselves are so fertile. When early Christians moved into pagan areas, they realised it would be impossible to wipe out the old, ingrained beliefs. Instead, they absorbed and adopted them, and Easter became a mixture of both pagan and Christian customs.
Chocolate Melts
Most lollies gradually dissolve in our mouths but chocolate actually melts. That’s because our body temperature is about 37°C, and chocolate melts at only 35°C. Simply placing chocolate on your tongue is enough to make it release its flavours and aroma. The fact that chocolate melts so easily makes it great for eating, but it can be very messy if you leave it in your pocket, your handbag or the car!
Chocolate – Pimples
Many people think that eating chocolate gives you pimples, but Burke’s Backyard scientist Graeme Quirk says that’s not true. There’s no evidence that diet and pimples are at all related. Pimples are caused by heredity factors, hormones and bacteria. They often start at puberty, with an increase in male hormones. The hormones cause skin glands to secrete a fatty substance, forming a plug that we call a pimple. Chocolate does contain a chemical called PEA. It is thought that PEA may trigger the release of dopamine, a brain chemical that makes us feel happy or in love. So it’s not surprising that the famous Italian lover, Giovanni Casanova, was fond of drinking chocolate! Even though chocolate might make you feel good and it doesn’t give you pimples, eating too much will make you fat.