The History of the Chocolate Bunny… and other Easter Traditions

EasterTargetPic

This is just one example of Easter ad’s from years past. You’ll find a lot more by clicking on this picture!

When spring arrives there is a lot to look forward to like warmer weather, brighter colors, beautiful flowers, and of course Easter!! One of the most celebrated holidays, Easter is among a favorite of many. It is observed here in the states and across the world.

An Article in Women’s Day Magazine called ‘Easter Traditions from Around the World’, shares that

“In some parts of Western Finland, people burn bonfires on Easter Sunday, a Nordic tradition stemming from the belief that the flames ward off witches who fly around on brooms between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. In Rome, Mass is celebrated on the evening of Holy Saturday, and on Easter Sunday, thousands of visitors congregate in St. Peter’s Square to await the Pope’s blessing from the church’s balcony, known as “Urbi et Orbi” (To the City and to the World).”

My favorite tradition is in France.

“Each year a giant omelet is served up in the town’s main square. The omelet uses more than 4,500 eggs and feeds up to 1,000 people. The story goes, when Napoleon and his army were traveling through the south of France, they stopped in a small town and ate omelets. Napoleon liked his so much that he ordered the townspeople to gather their eggs and make a giant omelet for his army the next day.”

Here in the States we have our own Easter traditions that we look forward to each year. For example, the Easter Bunny coming to everyone’s houses with Easter baskets, coloring eggs, hiding the eggs, and of course the chocolate bunny! The question is though how did we come up with these Easter traditions? Being of German heritage I was fascinated to find out that the Easter bunny originated among German Lutherans. It was used to judge the behavior of children during the Eastertide season much like Santa Claus at Christmas. If the children were good throughout the year the Easter bunny brings candy and colored eggs.

Wikipedia says that the “The custom of the Easter egg, however, originated in the early Christians of Mesopotamia, who stained eggs red in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at his crucifixion. The Christian Church officially adopted the custom, regarding the eggs as a symbol of the resurrection. Easter eggs are also a widely popular symbol of new life in Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and other Central European countries.”

 

As for the delicious chocolate bunnies that children around the world receive in their Easter baskets… well those started during World War II. A Foodimentary article says that “the chocolate bunny can be searched back to the 19th century as a by-product of World War II coco rationing in Germany.”

SweetCityCandy.com reports that, “Americans buy more than 60 million of these chocolate bunnies each year, which undoubtedly makes Easter one of the biggest candy-eating holidays.” Big holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas use the holiday to promote their product. Many large corporations such as Target, M&M’s and Subaru have used this holiday in their marketing campaigns.Easter

I hope you all get chocolate bunnies in your baskets and that you all get to celebrate your own traditions with family and friends! Have a very happy Easter everyone!

 

Contributed by Crista Kling.

Crista

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources:

http://www.womansday.com/life/easter-traditions-from-around-the-world-105074

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_egg

http://foodimentary.com/2012/04/03/a-history-of-chocolate-bunnies/

http://www.1designperday.com/2013/03/11/45-most-creative-easter-advertisements/

Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle While Working in an Office

health-bike

I find that it can be difficult to stay in tip-top shape when you are glued to your desk for 8+ hours a day. When resources, especially time can be scarce, here are some simple tips to stay healthy:

  1. Hydrate – Instead of grabbing another cup of coffee or caffeinated beverage why not grab a glass of water?
  2. Sleep – The average person needs 8 hours of sleep to regenerate your mind and body.
  3. Use Your Kitchen – Keep your fridge stocked with fresh foods and enjoy the fact that you can whip up a healthy and satisfying lunch.
  4. Get Up and Move – Even if you can only get and enjoy the fresh air for only a short break (walk few laps around the office) your muscles thank you for it.
  5. Set Boundaries – Overworking and not taking time for you can be detrimental to your health, your well-being and even your work performance.

Good Luck!
Contributed by Caitlin Tuohy

Why Target New Homeowners?

Some facts about new homeowners:

  • Spend more in the first 60 days than an established homeowner will spend in the next two years
  • Are eager to purchase new services, such as landscaping and other home improvements both interior and exterior
  • Are more likely to buy home décor, furnishings, and appliances – over 75% of new homeowners will make a furniture purchase as a result of the move
  • Need personal services, including doctors, dentists and other professionals soon after they move
  • Need a new bank, supermarket and nearby restaurants and take-out meals for their day-to-day lives
  • Are more likely to buy home improvement goods – tool and electronic sales climb right after the move
  • Make other major purchases – 62% of new movers buy a new car within the first year after relocation

The affluent consumer is crucial to your business success

Discover who they are, what they are buying, and the buying triggers of the Affluent

The mass affluent represent the wealthiest, most sought-after demographics in all of marketing. This was true when the economy was booming, but it’s even more true now as the middle class shrinks and the mass affluent segment emerges as the least affected by price, making them even more desirable than ever.

Begin with the fact that the majority own one and often two homes. This means they travel, buy furniture, yard and patio goods, and remodel their bathrooms and kitchens.

They are also a ready audience for advertisers, who use targeted direct marketing mailed directly into their homes which is aimed squarely at their interests and desires, from fine dining, entertainment and travel to charitable giving.

And of course, by definition, they have money to spend. But the affect of the Great Recession has created a different mindset regarding value, and changed their purchasing behaviors.

Advertisers who wish to reach this lucrative market can buy space in our upscale postcard decks and choose which markets to distribute to. The RSVP team can help develop a postcard that is tailored to this affluent market, and advise on the most effective marketing message to maximize your results.

Call Tracking – Leads are precious…treat them like gold.

RSVP Call Tracking Solutions provide advertisers the ability to track, capture, chart, record and organize inbound sales calls in real time.

With our easy-to-use, online reporting tools, you can:

  1. Analyze call traffic to identify and
    track the response that your RSVP
    mailing is generating
  2. Capture unanswered calls so every
    prospect can be called back
  3. Collect caller names and
    addresses for future promotions
  4. Record customer calls for quality
    assurance and to identify training
    and coaching opportunities

Call your local RSVP office for an online, guided
tour to see how easy it is to put RSVP Call Tracking
Solutions to work for your business.

March Madness in the Workplace

 

Teamwork is one of the most underrated skills in the business world. If you have a staff where everyone plays a specific role without jealousy or spite, your business is much more likely to be successful.

The importance of teamwork came to the front of my mind recently as I watched our hometown Dayton Flyers make a Cinderella run to Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament. Dayton, an 11 seed from a mid-major conference, utilized excellent teamwork to upset more talented teams like Ohio State and Syracuse.

It was clear to me that everyone on that team had accepted his role in order to achieve amazing team goals. This can be easily translated to the business world.

If everyone from your administrative staff to your CEO have the same team goals in mind, your business is more likely to be a success. Selflessness is required to be a good team member. Do your job, no matter the level of the corporate ladder, and it will pay off tenfold.

T.E.A.M. = Together Each Achieves More

For a funny demonstration of teamwork, I encourage you to see the video below: