Chocolate Holidays

What are chocolate holidays? Chocolate holidays fall between October and April. It all starts with Halloween. How can you resist chocolate then. All those fun size bars. There are even kids running around dressed as giant chocolate bars.  You can't possibly be expected to hand out popcorn balls. Who does that? So you sit on your porch with a bowl full of chocolate. Then comes Thanksgiving and chocolate cream pie. You have to have a chocolate cream pie for all those people who don't like pumpkin. It would be rude to your guests. Every year there is a high school football team selling chocolate bars to raise money for better helmets. With the new helmets they won't scramble their brains when they take a hit. Sure, I could say no, but these kids are going to run this country when I'm old and I want their brains in tact. Up next, Hanukkah gelt, the chocolate coins wrapped in foil. The only way to play a family game of dreidel.  You surely want to support family game night. My stocking always contains chocolate at Christmas. There are chocolate santas, chocolate balls and bells. Not to mention the fudge on the cookie tray. You ring in the New Year with chocolate martinis and chocolate dipped strawberries. January usually brings snow. That means sledding, building snowmen, ice skating and a large mug of hot chocolate. That's the only reason to strap on shoes with thin metal blades on the bottom and try to walk across a frozen sheet of ice.  Then there is that giant heart shaped box filled with chocolate that you hope comes your way on Valentines Day. Chocolate is a mood elevator. If that box doesn't come your way, they are on sale at 50%  off the next day and you can get that giant box and eat it all by yourself. March brings out the leprechauns. The gold in that pot, it's chocolate! Hopping down the bunny trail is a giant chocolate bunny. How long before his ears are missing? Not to mention all that chocolate laying around in the basket. For seven months we have reasons to eat chocolate. Not that you need a reason, but it helps explain why you have all that chocolate in the pantry. You're celebrating! In the off season we use chocolate to teach pre schoolers colors and math. There is even a book out there called M&M math. You separate the M&Ms by color. Then you teach kids addition and subtraction by moving them around and then eating them. Chocolate is an educational tool. How can you not want to educate the future of America? Chocolate makes you feel happy and some studies show that dark chocolate is good for your heart. Chocolate may save your life! Think about it! Take care.