ARTY EGGS

Fortnum’s worked with master chocolatiers in Wales to create these vibrant, hand-painted Easter eggs. The eggs are moulded from aromatic Colombian chocolate, while the natural pigment paint used to illustrate them took weeks to perfect. The ideal Easter gift for any art-lover or creative in your life, these special creations are almost too beautiful to crack open!

FESTIVE TABLEWARE

The Aladdin’s cave better known as Searle & Co. is a treasure trove of jewellery, accessories, antiques and silverware. Among its curiosities we discovered this beautiful silver bunny rabbit, egg cup and shell cracker spoon. These decorative keepsakes will add an element of fun to the Easter breakfast table for years to come, and can be passed down through the generations.

SEASONAL TREATS

As you’d expect, Fortnum & Mason has a wide range of enticing Easter treats, from Easter eggs and simnel cake to hampers and hot cross buns. Fortnum’s special Easter Tea blends black Ceylon tea with marigold, cornflower blossoms, elderflower and orange blossom to create a refreshing springtime pick-me-up. Pair it with this fun and colourful box of iced gingerbread biscuits for a delightful gift that’s sure to brighten up someone’s afternoon cuppa.

SYMBOLIC JEWELLERY

A beautiful cross pendant is a symbolic reminder of the reason followers of the Christian faith celebrate Easter – Easter Sunday marks the anniversary of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, following his crucifixion three days earlier. Many Christians wear a cross or crucifix pendant as a symbol of their faith and there are many unique styles to choose from, such as these three from Vashi, Tiffany & Co. and Boodles.

INDULGENT EGGS

Put a smile on any chocoholic’s face with a Chocolate Easter Egg Hamper from bakery and confectioners Cutter & Squidge. This decadent gift contains three handmade eggs, each packed full of indulgent goodies.

The Billionaire Filled Easter Egg is a milk chocolate shell with a digestive crumb containing caramel ganache-filled mini-eggs, fudge pieces, salted caramel sauce and crunchy butterscotch.

The Funfetti Filled Easter Egg is a milk chocolate shell with dulce de leche caramel sauce, chocolate crumb, white chocolate ganache, coloured mini-eggs, sprinkles and popping candy.

The Cookies & Cream Vegan Easter Egg is a dark chocolate shell with caramel sauce and digestive crumbs, filled with dark chocolate ganache, Oreo biscuits, dark chocolate mini-eggs and dipped in cocoa nibs.

BUSY BEES

Not only a religious festival, Easter actually dates back to pre-Christianity times and is also associated with the Pagan festival of Springtime, which some believe to be named after Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility. Both the Christian and Pagan festivals are rooted in the idea of rebirth and abundant new life, hence why we celebrate with symbols such as eggs, chicks, bunny rabbits and spring flowers.

Aspinal of London’s cute leather Bee Keyring is more than just symbolic though. The brand is donating £4.50 from every sale to the South Downs National Park Trust, to support the plantation of wildflower meadows. These meadows will attract the declining bee species that pollinate our plants to sustain the growth of flowers and vegetables. Pair it with Smythson’s Bees Knees Chelsea Notebook and you have the perfect feel-good Easter gift for environmentalists and wildlife lovers.

FANCY EGGS

Ladurée has collaborated with the chocolatier Patrice Chapon to create its Easter 2021 confectionary. The collection comprises dark and milk chocolate eggs, crafted from Chuao chocolate – a remote Venezuelan village renowned for its cacao plantations – and encrusted with toasted almonds, and a gift box of 20 decorative white chocolate mini-eggs, which contain Sicilian almond and Piedmont hazelnut praline. The playful packaging for the collection has been designed by Claudia Ravnbo, who has illustrated the Mayan chocolate god ‘Ek Chuah’ in pretty pastel colours.

SPRINGTIME SCENTS

Celebrate the new season with a mood boosting new scent. Hermès’ Terre D’Hermès Eau De Toilette combines uplifting grapefruit and cedar with invigorating pepper notes and the earthy aroma of flint, and its packaging has been reimagined as a limited edition for 2021. Artist Jin Kwon has added graphic lines to the bottle, symbolic of rays of sunlight permeating the Earth.

Jo Malone London’s new Nectarine Blossom & Honey Body Mist offers a lightly fragranced spritz, which also contains natural origin glycerine to condition the skin. This fruity scent combines juicy nectarine and peach with the sweetness of honey and floral notes of spring flowers.

Easter 2021 is on Sunday 4 April.

The Royal Exchange celebrates its 450^th anniversary this year. We look forward to welcoming you during 2021, for a considered shopping and dining experience in spectacular and historic surroundings. Please visit our boutiques page for regular updates on our retailers’ opening information and hours, as well as details about virtual appointments and click and collect services.

Visit our heritage page to learn more about the history of The Royal Exchange, and keep an eye on our specially created 450 Years site, journal and Instagram for more fascinating facts and insights about The Royal Exchange’s past and present as we commemorate this special milestone throughout the year.