A day without chocolate is a day without sunshine. You've heard that before. I have cited my four Major Food Groups elsewhere but will repeat them: chocolate, champagne, broccoli and garlic. I am serious about chocolate. I have a friend whose home is a veritable Fort Knox of chocolate, stock-piled everywhere. She is very healthy and probably one of the best-adjusted persons I know. She doesn't owe it all to chocolate; she has a very nice husband, too.

Years ago, doing research for an article I was writing, I discovered that the Crisis Centre gets more calls the day after Valentine's Day with an increase in migraine headaches, more than any other day in the year. This up-tic of pain is blamed on cheese, red wine and chocolate, classic gifts for that occasion. Of course, it could also be anxiety and depression caused by no gifts. I wonder if they still have little mailboxes for the distribution of cards in classroom Valentine parties. Maybe not, what with email and Jacquie Lawson. But I still remember not receiving cards. (I was a nerd: smart and fat, therefore unpopular. We'll discuss bullying another time.)

I'm still considering chocolate. Such a blessed panacea, such a balm, so comforting, so delicious. And now we are told it's good for us. Such a bonus!

I like chocolate bunnies better than real-live white ones. Your only problem with a chocolate one, as opposed to a furry one, is which part to eat first. With a furry one, you need either a litter box or a recipe. There's a classic card showing a chocolate bunny with its ears bitten off who can't hear the greeting.

The greeting is Happy Easter.