Beautiful Easter Gifts and Treats

Outdo even the Easter Bunny himself with these festive treats and tokens

Chocolate or china, sweet or sculpted, there’s a gift for everyone on your list this Easter

Whether you’re brunching with family or attending a friend’s house party, you won’t want to arrive at this year’s Easter celebration empty-handed. Luckily, Vancouver’s community of artisans and boutiques have wide range of alluring gifts on hand, perfect for any host or hostess.

From chocolates galore for the sweet tooth to elegant tabletop decor, click through for our guide to Vancouver’s best Easter gifts

Praline Eggs from Beta5 Chocolate

Easter eggs have ascended to a whole new level of decadence at Beta5 Chocolates. The imaginative and highly skilled chocolatiers have hatched three types of praline eggs, each with a layered dark chocolate shell sure to instantly melt in your mouth. The first (pictured, left) is filled with a light, deliciously flaky mix of crispy wafers and praline of hazelnut and milk chocolate. The second (centre) holds a potpourri of almond, raspberry and white chocolate praline with marcona almonds and freeze-dried raspberries. The last (right) contains pumpkin seed and milk chocolate praline, finished with gently caramelized pumpkin seeds. Each impart a spectrum of flavours both bold and subtle that complement the smooth chocolate shell.

$6 each, Beta5 Chocolates, 413 Industrial Avenue

Sculptural Bunny Spreaders from Williams-Sonoma

Inspired by bunnies that bounded through all those unforgettable vintage storybooks, this set of two bunny spreaders from Williams-Sonoma is made from hand-cast earthenware, glazed with white, atop stainless steel blades. What a fun way to butter your hot cross bun at Easter brunch!

$19.95, Williams-Sonoma, 2903 Granville Street

Credit: Atkinson's

Hoppi Dangling Rabbit from Atkinson’s of Vancouver

Super soft and cuddly, the Hoppi Dangling Rabbit from Atkinson’s evokes memories of The Velveteen Rabbit. To resist squeezing the downy woven fur of this little critter is nearly impossible. The bonus? He’s washable, so those chocolate-covered Easter fingers aren’t a concern.

$126, Atkinson’s, 1501 West 6th Avenue

Mister Rabbit Book Tin from Purdy’s

Think of your favourite bunny storybook that you read over and over throughout your childhood. Now imagine that it’s filled, not with pages, but with chocolate. A finer Easter tribute would be hard to find! The illustrated tin looks just like a book, but opens on a hinge to reveal an assortment of Purdy’s finest milk and dark chocolates. Once all the chocolates have disappeared, the tin can be reused and admired for many Easters to come.

$21, Purdy’s Chocolates, various locations

Credit: Pottery Barn

Bunny Wagon Egg Cup from Pottery Barn

We all know the Easter Bunny’s an industrious fellow, and his work doesn’t stop at the table. Here he is dutifully hauling an egg, perhaps freshly boiled for Easter brunch, in his woven wagon of microwave- and dishwasher-safe stoneware. Who wouldn’t be delighted to receive such a practical and festive gift – especially one that could be put immediately to use?

$9.50, Pottery Barn, 2600 Granville Street

Hot Cross Buns from Butter Baked Goods

Perhaps the most traditional of all Easter treats is the hot cross bun – and Butter Baked Goods makes a mean dozen. Baked until light and airy then glazed to perfection, these raisin- and cranberry-studded delights are pure bliss when eaten fresh out of the oven (but still incredible when cool, if they last that long). Tea time is a dream with one or two of these smothered in jam, dabbed with butter or topped with sharp white cheddar. Add a pot of jam or a wheel of fine cheese to a dozen hot cross buns and you’ve got a winning hostess gift.

$3.25 each, $39 per dozen; Butter Baked Goods, 4907 Mackenzie Street

Coconut Egg Sculpture from Chez Cristophe

Chez Christophe is the place to go for an Easter gift that’s a work of art as much as a tasty treat. As usual, the chocolatier is hard at work making a variety of artistic chocolate Easter eggs, intricate lattice eggs made of 60 per cent dark Carma chocolate, and charming little Poulettes – chocolate hens with candy beak, eyes and wattles.

The store is always filled with the aroma of buttery croissants and Parmigiano rosemary scones – great for Easter brunch. But one of Christophe’s newest creations without a doubt takes the cake: the Coconut Egg Sculpture. Made entirely of chocolate with a brushed finish, the velvety outer egg and inner yellow egg get their colour from layers of rich cocoa butter. Inside lies even more chocolate bonbon surprises, so as beautiful as the sculpture is, you’ll definitely want to crack into it before long!

$19.95 to $65 (small to extra-large sizes), Chez Christophe, 4712 Hastings Street in Burnaby

Credit: Papyrus

Yellow Duckling Plush from Papyrus

Daffodil-yellow with carrot-orange legs and beak, this plush ducky from Papyrus is a vision of spring. Bring him to your Easter party, and he’ll make a festive splash that his rubber counterparts could never pull off. Nestle him in a basket among a collection of chocolate eggs and jelly beans, or give him pride of place in the dinner table centerpiece. Wherever he sits, he’ll be an adorable Easter mascot.

$12.95, Papyrus, Oakridge Centre, 650 West 41st Avenue; 765 Burrard Street

Milk Chocolate Jellybean Bark from Rogers’ Chocolates

The ultimate combination of sweet and sour has landed at Rogers’ Chocolates. To celebrate Easter, the company has crafted a decadent bark of milk chocolate made from 33 per cent cocoa and brightly coloured sour jelly beans. Eight delicious ounces of this playful Easter treat come wrapped in festive green and blue cellophane, trimmed with a soft green ribbon. Kids and adult jelly-bean lovers alike will be thrilled when the Easter bunny delivers such a colourful, tasty gift.

$12.99, Rogers’ Chocolates, various locations

Credit: Pottery Barn

Decorative Robin’s Eggs from Pottery Barn

Easter eggs needn’t all be made of chocolate. Welcome spring and brighten up your holiday table with these delicate faux robin’s eggs from Pottery Barn. The pale, speckled paint finish completely disguises the Styrofoam underneath, giving them a realistic look and a durability that will last long after Easter. The set of 12 is ideal for arranging in a nest like the one above, along a mantelpiece or in a glass vase. Or include them in an Easter gift basket as a decorative touch – but be sure to distinguish them from the chocolate!

$14.50, Pottery Barn, 2600 Granville Street

Jack Rabbit Chocolate Bomb from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

As if the Chocolate Bombs at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory aren’t magnificent enough, the company rolls out a special Easter version with the daintiest ears, eyes, nose, feet and tail. Each one is handmade, with a chocolate centre coated in caramel then coated in another layer of chocolate. The wide-eyed little icing faces, pink-toed feet and dolloped tail make it hard to decide where to take the first bite. If Jack Rabbit is simply too cute to eat, Rocky Mountain has a number of other bombs available in flavours like cheesecake, English toffee, espresso, cookies ‘n’ cream, and the exclusive tiger bomb, which has a chocolate and peanut butter centre that any PB lover would die for.

$4.49 each, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, various locations

Credit: Nineteen Ten

Bunny Hook from Nineteen Ten

The best type of decor is the kind that’s functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. This Bunny Hook from Nineteen Ten is both of these. Its long bunny ears, perked up at different angles, provide not only an elegant and realistic Easter-themed ornament, but also act as the ideal hook for coats, towels, bathrobes and bags. The textured antique brass gives it awarm vintage appeal, like a grandfatherly Peter Rabbit.

$18, Nineteen Ten, 4366 Main Street

Peter Rabbit Apron from Williams-Sonoma

The mischievous Peter Rabbit has left Mr. McGregor’s garden for the holidays and munched his way into kitchens everywhere, courtesy of this charming children’s apron. The cotton-linen blend makes for a durable and comfortable apron that can be machine-washed without losing Peter’s colour. An adult-sized version is also available for Mom and Dad.

$24.95, Williams-Sonoma, 2903 Granville Street