Easter is the most important Christian festival, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ with the upmost of joy and message of new life. The date of Easter changes every year and is determined by the lunar calendar - always falling on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the 21st March (March equinox). Due to this, Easter is named the moveable feast. Easter also marks the end of forty days of prayer and fasting - a period of time known as Lent.

Today, churches hold special services on Easter Sunday to celebrate the birth of new life. Many people also see Easter Sunday as a time to send chocolate Easter eggs as gifts to family and friends, by decorating and searching for eggs in children Easter egg hunts or even as an excuse to indulge in Easter chocolate treats!

Giving chocolate gifts such as Easter eggs is a great way of celebrating Easter and one that most people take part in every year! You cannot go wrong with a scrumptious chocolate gift - whether they like smooth milk chocolate, luxurious white chocolate or intense dark chocolate, there is a choice of chocolate gifts to suit everyone (yes, even your awkward uncle!). With this in mind, buying chocolate gifts for loved ones this Easter should be an easy stress-free task, but who wants to fight the masses on the high street to find the right gift when you can shop from the comfort of your own home? Sending chocolates by post is becoming increasing popular and advantageous, something that shouldn't be sniffed at!

So, for my top tips on choosing the best online retailer for your Easter chocolate treats, have a read below...

1. First of all, ask your friends and family to recommend any websites that they have used previously. You'll be comfortable in the knowledge that the sites are easy to use, offer great value chocolate gifts and excellent customer service. These are important when choosing an online chocolate retailer.

2. It's important to look for secure websites and to ensure the retailer has a clear postal address on its homepage, along with a freephone customer service number. You need to be able to speak to someone if you have a problem with your Easter chocolate order. To check whether a website is secure, look for the padlock in the bottom right hand corner. Many companies also offer a no quibble quality guarantee to give you that extra piece of mind.

3. Why stop at just Easter chocolate? Some online retailers offer little extras that can be added to your chocolate order, so it's a great idea to keep an eye out! Little extras such as a free personalised message service and greetings cards are a great way of adding a special finishing touch to your Easter chocolate gift.

4. Look for online retailers with free delivery included so you know exactly what you are paying for. Some online retailers may sneakily add a large delivery charge at the end of the checkout process for sending chocolates by post.

5. Before you finish your online chocolate order, make sure to check for ways to save extra money! Search for discounts on voucher code websites that enable you to enter that code at the checkout. Some online retailers have loyalty schemes where you can collect reward points on your purchases - worth hunting around for more savings! If you are buying lots of Easter chocolate gifts you can save up your points to treat yourself to some Easter chocolate! What's not to love about that?

Shopping online to send your Easter chocolates by post shouldn't be a challenge for anyone. Finding the right Easter chocolate gift is easy if you follow the steps above - hopefully these will help you to ensure you find the best chocolate gift for you and your loved one, without breaking the bank! This Easter, when fellow shoppers are fighting down the shopping aisle over chocolate Easter eggs and Easter gifts, rest assured that you have sent your chocolates by post direct to your recipient from the comfort of your own home without even breaking a sweat!

Happy chocolate shopping!