It seems as though Mother Nature has finally decided to let warm weather creep its way into Happy Valley, and, if the old saying is true, the flowers in May should be just lovely after this month's showers.

Besides being my favorite season, spring also brings around one of my favorite holidays -- Easter.

I'm a little too old now to take part in the annual egg hunt, and my love of Easter is not because I'm incredibly religious or have a particular attraction to rabbits -- although I do find Peter Cottontail to be quite charming. For me, Easter means I can finally undo all the hard work I've logged since January's resolution to cut back on sweets, one basketful at a time.

Brightly colored marshmallow Peeps and bunnies find themselves onto display shelves next to the Easter egg dye, and even non-seasonal candies, like M&M's, find themselves sporting chocolate coats in light pink and purple.

After much debate, however, I think I've managed to narrow it down to, in my humble opinion, the top five favorite Easter candies that no good Easter basket should be without.

5. Cadbury Mini Eggs: Tiny egg-shaped balls coated in pretty colored shells might not sound too exciting, but for some reason, these little guys are quite addicting. Perhaps it's because their small size allows me to believe "it's better than eating a whole chocolate bar," which is true, until several handfuls later when I have a stomachache that would knock over an elephant. Maybe it's the fact that the chocolate has a way of sticking to the roof of your mouth, leaving a lasting cocoa taste anyone can appreciate. Either way, these delectable morsels are a staple in my candy jar this time of the year.

4. Jelly Belly Jelly Beans: I know this sounds nuts, but any other time of the year, I really hate jelly beans. But for some reason, when the tulips and daffodils start blooming, I can't help but get a little giddy knowing that on Easter Sunday, I'll be able to make myself sick by gorging on the sweet and sticky flavors. My personal favorite is peach, but the juicy pear comes in at a close second. Love 'em or hate 'em, jelly beans are a must in any good basket.

3. Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs: OK, I know that Reese's eggs are basically just peanut butter cups in an oval shape and that they have an assortment of designs for pretty much every holiday. Despite this, the egg shape makes them taste better to me. Even the stores know how irresistible they are, because every Easter season the oval sweets find a place right next to the cash register, just waiting for some poor sucker with a sweet tooth to splurge 50 cents and indulge.

2. Cadbury Eggs: Arguably the staple of the Easter candy season, it's hard for me not to think of the commercial where a fluffy white rabbit lays the chocolate egg. In fact, according to its Web site, www.cadbury.co.uk, the Cadbury egg is the highest selling confectionery item sold between Jan. 1 and Easter, with sales topping 200 million annually. Although the original Cadbury Crème is known for its white and yellow egg-like interior, it looks too much like eating a raw egg to me. I prefer the caramel filled, despite the fact that I always make a mess while eating them.

1. Gertrude Hawk Smidgens: Possibly one of life's most perfect foods, the Smidgen should be enough to get Ms. Hawk a nomination for a Nobel Prize. These bite-sized candies come in a variety of flavors such as milk chocolate filled with peanut butter, dark chocolate coconut and my personal favorite -- dark chocolate with raspberry filling -- just to name a few. Nothing makes me happier than finding a box of Smidgens in my basket Easter morning. Not only are Smidgens the perfect size, but they also have the best ratio of chocolate-to-filling I've found, and trust me, I'm not new to chocolate.

So as the Lent season makes its way to a close for yet another year, remember that Easter comes but once a year. Take advantage of the pastel sweets, eat more Peeps than it is wise to do, and remember that candy knows no religious boundaries, so anyone can find the perfect bunny-day candy and enjoy!