Sweet treats and great eats help define what makes Easter such a popular holiday. It’s a day filled with egg decorating and egg hunts. But little compares to seeing the look on a child’s face when they open their Easter basket.
Packed with chocolates and marshmallows, an Easter basket is a classic symbol of this springtime holiday. One sweet treat, however, has a range of flavors and has delighted children and adults alike on Easter for 90 years: the jelly bean, which might be Easter’s most iconic candy.
Although Easter is a religious holiday, the origin of Easter eggs is believed to stem from pagan festivals. During the celebrations of spring’s arrival, eggs were a symbol of new life. In Christianity, the egg was believed to represent the resurrection of Jesus.
According to the National Confectioners Association, jelly beans became an Easter tradition in the 1930s thanks to their egg-like shape. The Easter Bunny would deliver jelly beans along with eggs because of their similarities. Since the ‘30s, jelly beans have become an Easter staple shared across the country, and with flavors ranging from buttered popcorn to licorice, there’s always something new to try. If you want to learn more about Easter, like why we even have the Easter Bunny, check out these fun Easter facts.
by Aaliyah Gibson
