It’s Easter, so indulge yourselves

DID you see those pictures of famous women in middle age who look astonishingly beautiful in their bikinis, even after having children?

For such perfection they exist on lettuce leaves and hot water and punish their bodies every day in the gym.

Oh Lord! Let’s forget the sober thought that millions of people across the world have no choice but to ‘go to bed hungry’ (as Liz Hurley so proudly boasts) and, therefore, it’s nauseating for pampered beauties to make a virtue of deprivation.

But it’s their free choice; more fool them if they rate physical perfection so highly.

Reading such a feature makes me want to stuff my mouth with my favourite rose and violet creams and wash them down with the finest Russian vodka.

Though I don’t believe in excess, I’ve never given up a thing for Lent (though friends like the discipline of abstaining from booze during that time).

My philosophy is to add things to life, not take them away. Drink hot water to stave off hunger? No, thank you very much.

Easter is a glorious time of renewal. As a Christian, it does have a special, sacred meaning for me, which becomes more important as I grow older.

But as someone who thinks the glass is half-full, it is also a time to rejoice in new leaves slicing up through soil, the days getting longer, bagging up the warmest clothes and putting them away, the certainty of summer, even if it rains.

Both the sacred and the secular meanings have new life at their core — and I rejoice in yearly promise as the seasons change.

So I refuse to give up cake, quality crisps, the best sausages, potatoes in every form (especially chipped), wine, vodka with tonic — and chocolate. Yes to indulgence!

If I don’t receive a dark Easter egg tomorrow I’ll be very disappointed because the very shape reminds me that each year we can be reborn into the delights of life, all wrapped in shiny silver paper.