More Chocolate and Less Warning: it’s beginning to look a lot like Easter.

Unlike Christmas, where the build-up is loud and unavoidable - think months of festive ads, inescapable carols, and shiny, shiny decorations - Easter has a way of sneaking up on us. One minute it's mid-March, and the next, you're in a supermarket aisle staring at half-empty shelves of chocolate eggs, wondering how it got so late in the season. But while it lacks the same fanfare, the rush is just as real.

Workplaces feel it, with teams scrambling to wrap up projects before the long weekend. Parents feel it, juggling school holidays, Easter hat parades, and last-minute egg hunts. Even social calendars fill up fast, with family lunches, camping trips, and weekend getaways all squeezed into a short window. And just like Christmas, there’s the subtle pressure to make it “special”—whether that’s through elaborate feasts, thoughtful gifts, or packed schedules of activities.

The difference? Because Easter doesn’t dominate the cultural landscape for months in advance, people are often caught off guard by how much they need to do. The result is a familiar sense of last-minute chaos, just in a different wrapping—more pastel, less tinsel, but just as exhausting.

Here are some tips to help with the craziness that is upon us.

Embrace the Supermarket Dash

You will forget something essential—chocolate, hot cross buns, or the one ingredient needed for that "simple" Easter recipe you saw on Instagram. Accept this fate and treat your last-minute supermarket trip as an extreme sport. Bonus points if you dodge a trolley battle in the chocolate aisle.

Set Realistic Expectations (Lower. No, Lower.)

You might start with the innocent idea of a “simple Easter lunch,” but before you know it, you’re roasting a lamb, glazing a ham, and wondering why you thought homemade hot cross buns were a good idea. Newsflash: No one expects a Michelin-starred meal—they just want food and chocolate. Serve store-bought buns, throw some eggs in the garden, and call it a success. If anyone complains, hand them a whisk and tell them they’re in charge next year.

Mini Break that becomes a Major Headache

A relaxing Easter getaway sounds great in theory—scenic drives, peaceful walks, maybe a cheeky wine by the fire. In reality? It’s traffic jams, overpriced accommodation, and half the country having the same idea. You’ll spend more time packing, unpacking, and refereeing backseat arguments than actually relaxing. Save yourself the stress—stay home, hide eggs in your own backyard, and pretend your couch is a luxury retreat.

Delegate Like a Pro

Easter plans often spiral out of control. A picnic in the park with the kids and an egg hunt turns into you managing an operation so complex it could qualify as an Olympic sport—hiding eggs, setting up the food, keeping track of who has allergies, and explaining for the tenth time why we can’t start yet because “Uncle Dave is still parking.” The key? Outsource. Assign someone the chocolate, someone the salads, and someone the “entertainment” (which is just a fancy way of saying “please wrangle the kids while the adults drink wine”).

Strategically Time Your Sugar Hit

Chocolate for breakfast? Yes, obviously. But pace yourself. A sugar crash at 11 a.m. means you’ll be napping when lunch is served. Consider it marathon training: small, steady doses to keep your energy levels (and patience) intact.

And remember, Monday regret is real. Unlike Boxing Day, Easter Monday exists as a trap. It feels like a bonus day, but really, it’s a recovery period from poor life choices made over the weekend.

Overcommitted? Exhausted? Chocolate hangover? Good. You’ve done Easter correctly.