- Easter is on Sunday, April 12, this year. It’s one of the holiest days in Christianity.
- WalletHub compiled a list of fun facts about how Americans, and the world, would normally celebrate – though this year will be a bit different, due to social distancing and COVID-19.
- While we’re using our laptops to Zoom with our families or to stream Easter Mass, we can still dye our Easter eggs and munch on chocolate bunnies.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Easter Sunday is quickly approaching – which means it’s time to munch on chocolate bunnies and Peeps.
WalletHub created an infographic filled with facts and stats about how Easter is celebrated. Between the food, clothing, gifts, and chocolate, billions of dollars go into preparing.
Keep scrolling to learn more about Easter, bunnies, and all things pastel.
In total, an estimated $18.1 billion is usually spent on Easter-related things.
It’s one of the most important days in Christianity.
$3.3 billion is normally spent on clothes, though this year we might all be rocking sweats.
People traditionally wear pastel or floral clothing for Easter, since it's a signifier that spring is truly here.
$5.7 billion is usually spent on food.
The traditional foods of Easter include eggs (of course), ham, sweet bread, lamb, and chocolate.
$2.5 billion alone goes towards chocolate.
A holiday that celebrates chowing down on chocolate and candy is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
And $2.9 billion is spent on gifts.
Children traditionally receive Easter baskets from their parents or other adult relatives. According to WalletHub, 66% of parents make their children Easter baskets, and 92% of those include chocolate or candy.
To put that into perspective, the average person who celebrates Easter spends $151 on the holiday.
Between chocolate, food, Easter baskets, and clothing, the expenses can rack up.
Back to the fun stuff: chocolate. As many as 91 million chocolate bunnies are sold in the US for Easter annually.
There are plenty of different bunnies to choose from, like this "Benedict Cumberbunny" or this DIY chocolate bunny from Ikea.
And 16 billion jellybeans are eaten — enough to circle the world three times.
It's no shock that 90% of parents in 2019 planned to have a discussion with their children about enjoying candy in moderation, according to WalletHub.
Kids aren't the only ones who get to enjoy it — 81% of parents steal candy from their children's loot.
Maybe Jimmy Kimmel should use that for his next candy-related prank.
As many as 59% of Americans eat the ears of their chocolate bunny first.
Interestingly enough, 4% go for the feet first, 4% go for the tail, and 33% have no preference at all, WalletHub reported.
And 52% prefer their chocolate eggs to be filled with caramel, peanut butter, or chocolate ganache, as opposed to them being hollow or solid chocolate through and through.
We celebrate with Easter eggs because, much like the holiday itself, eggs are associated with new life and rebirth.
The weight of the largest chocolate egg in history was only 665 pounds lighter than the average male African elephant.
To clarify, this egg "only" weighed 440 pounds.
The largest chocolate bunny was way bigger, weighing 9,360 pounds.
The largest rabbit made of chocolate was created in Brazil by the Equipe da Casa do Chocolate. It took nine professionals eight days straight to construct it.
The most expensive chocolate bunny was worth $49,000 and will set you back 548,000 calories.
Why so expensive? Because of its two 1.07-carat solitaire diamonds for eyes.
Over 1.5 billion Peeps in 24 flavors are consumed every Easter.
Peeps, chick-shaped marshmallows, have been an Easter favorite for seven decades.
A staggering 180 million eggs are purchased for Easter every year.
As many as 52.4% of Americans think the Easter bunny came before the egg.
And 10 million dyeing kits are also bought.
Insider Picks rounded up the best Easter egg decorating kits to make your life a little bit easier.
The White House Easter Egg Roll normally attracts 30,000 people. Sadly, it was canceled this year.
The first White House Easter Egg Roll was held in 1878 under President Rutherford B. Hayes. It's been canceled before, like in 1918 due to food shortages.
There were over 500,000 eggs hidden in the world's largest Easter egg hunt in Winter Haven, Florida.
This famed hunt took place in 2007.
Easter is the most popular church day of the year, but this year people will turn to virtual services.
Christmas Eve and Mother's Day are the other big two, according to WalletHub.
- Read more:
- Rooftops, laptops, and drive-ins: 25 photos show Palm Sunday celebrations around the world despite quarantines and social distancing
- 9 ways you can virtually celebrate Easter and Passover with your loved ones
- A spring-themed puzzle challenges you to find an Easter egg hidden among flowers. See how quickly you can spot it.
- 15 Easter gifts for kids of all ages