Cool Easter Facts

Happy Easter weekend! I know you'll be eating some sort of Easter treat soon. I will. From egg salad sandwiches to deviled eggs to Peeps and jelly beans. They're all good. It may take a bit to 'work them off' if you're watching what you eat. Here are some Easter facts to help you out. Amaze your friends with these facts! - Alan

1. World-renowned confectioner Martin Chiffers has created the "World's Most Extravagant Chocolate Easter Bunny". It contains two 1.7-carat diamonds for eyes, gold-leaf painted eggs and 548,000 calories. The bunny, which stands 15 inches tall and weighs 11 pounds, costs $49,000. It took two days to carve.

2. The Eisenberger family, of White Township, Pennsylvania, decorates their home for Easter with 1,000 bunnies. Kris Eisenberger started collecting Easter bunnies 22 years ago. She finds them at flea markets, thrift stores and yard sales.
Kris and her husband also decorate for Christmas with 3,000 Santa Claus items. They were featured on TLC’S “My Crazy Obsession: Christmas Collection 2”.

3. Tara Hammett's chocolate-dipped Brussels sprouts have become a hot Easter seller in London. The health club manager says each sprout has less than 20 calories compared to 120 in a Cadbury Creme Egg. ''I'm really pleased with the results. It is one of those combinations really shouldn't work but somehow it does. They might sound a little strange but trust me they taste pretty good - don't knock them till you've tried them. They are a great way of getting children to eat more vegetables. My nieces and nephews love helping me to make them - and then scoffing them afterwards.'

4. This year, many people will eat Spam instead of ham at their Easter Sunday dinner. The average price of a 6-ounce can is $2.62, or 44 cents an ounce. A regular ham costs 70 cents an ounce.

5. A new Easter survey by Vouchercloud reveals that the average child will consume 8,000 calories of chocolate this weekend. Other findings:

- the average child will receive $83 worth of Easter eggs
- the average child will eat their Easter treats over four days
- 43% of parents give money as a present for Easter
- 27% of parents have eaten their kids' Easter candy without them knowing

6. A new survey by the National Retail Federation reveals that people will spend $16.4 billion on Easter this year. Other findings:

- $2.2 billion will be spent on Easter candy
- 90% of people plan to buy Easter candy
- 50% of people plan to buy a new outfit for Easter
- people will spend an average of $140 on Easter

7. A survey published by business2community.com reveals that 85% of people buy or create Easter baskets for their kids. Other findings:

- 76% of people believe chocolate Easter bunny ears should be eaten first followed by the feet and tail
- 16 billion jellybeans are produced for Easter
- Over 90 million chocolate bunnies are produced each year