Chocolate coins, or chocolate money, are foil-covered chocolates in the shape of
coin
A coin is a small object, usually round and flat, used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order to facilitate trade. They are most often issued by ...
s.
They are usually created with milk chocolate.
In the United Kingdom, chocolate coins mimic the design of real money; they are traditionally bought around Christmas and are used to decorate the Christmas tree and to fill the stockings of children. When children visit a friend or relative they are allowed to find and take chocolates from the tree as a treat. A variant of this is that chocolate coins are hidden somewhere in the house for children to find, often in the form of a treasure trail. In Belgium, a tradition of giving chocolate coins at Christmas began to be observed at the start of the 20th century. These coins are presented wrapped in gold paper and placed in small bags.
During the
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
festival of
Hanukkah
Hanukkah (, ; ''Ḥănukkā'' ) is a Jewish holidays, Jewish festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and subsequent rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd ce ...
, chocolate coins are sometimes given to children in addition or in replacement of the traditional
gelt (gift of money), typically with a
dreidel.
For
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival (see also #Names, § Names), is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is one of the most important holi ...
, in place of traditional
Hongbao or "lucky money", chocolate coins are sometimes now given.
See also
*
List of candies
References
Chocolate
Christmas food
Sinterklaas food
{{confection-stub