Long ago people gave gifts of eggs carved from wood or precious stones. The first sweet eggs that were eaten were made in the last 100 years from sugar or marzipan. Since then chocolate eggs have become popular and these are given on Easter Sunday.
Chocolate eggs are mainly given to children. The eggs are either hollow or have a filling, and are usually covered with brightly coloured silver paper.
Around 80 million chocolate eggs are eaten each year in Britain.