Christmas and Valentine’s Day have fixed dates, but Easter Sunday can fall on any date between March 22 and April 25.

So, if you’re planning a jaunt abroad, or just can’t wait to get stuck into this year’s chocolate selection, here is all you need to know about when the holidays are coming in 2017.

When are the Easter holidays 2017 ?

This year Good Friday falls on April 14 and Easter Monday is on April 17.

The celebration for many will be a four-day weekend as Good Friday and Easter Monday are also bank holidays.

For those with kids, the school holidays this year are Friday, March 31 to Monday, April 17, although these may vary from school to school.

To be 100 per cent sure of your child’s school term times use the Government’s postcode checker.

When is Easter Sunday?

This year Easter Sunday (also known as Easter Day) is on April 16.

Christians celebrate Easter on a Sunday as it was the day Jesus rose from the dead, following being crucified on a Friday two days before.

Centuries ago in 325, it was determined by a council of Christian bishops that Easter Day would always be on a Sunday to commemorate the happy occasion.

How are the dates of Easter determined?

The death of Jesus occurred around the Jewish Passover, which is traditionally held on first full moon following the vernal equinox.

As the full moon can vary in each time zone, the Church said that they would use the 14th day of the lunar month instead – the Paschal Full Moon – and host Easter Day on the following Sunday.

Once the date of that moon is known, Easter Day and the Easter holidays can be determined.
When’s the best time to buy Easter eggs?

Well, according to some savvy shoppers, Easter eggs are already on the supermarket shelves – for the most organised among you.

But it’s bad news for parents with lots of kids – the cost of Easter eggs has soared this year, with a reported price hike of 18.1 per cent per kg.

How to make the most of Easter and get the most holiday ?

Those wishing to make the most of Easter will be able to enjoy even more time off thanks to the way it falls in 2017.

Workers will be able to get a whopping 18 days off using just nine days holiday.

It means that over the Easter period if you finish work on Thursday, April 13 you can book up until Tuesday May 2 by taking just nine days off work.

As Good Friday falls on April 14, Easter Monday on April 17 and May Day on May 1 you have three bank holidays to play with.

The 18 days are made up of three bank holidays, three weekends and the nine during the working week.