Do you ever feel like you have too much candy around the house after Halloween? Do you have to remove certain candies from your child’s stash because of food allergies?
Last year I started a new tradition at my house. You know the Charlie Brown story “The Great Pumpkin?” Do you remember how Linus told the story about the Great Pumpkin coming to give all the faithful boys and girls gifts? Last year I elaborated on that story a bit. I told my boys that if we put out a nice sign letting the “Great Pumpkin” know that we believe and that we welcome him, he will come and trade their candy for a toy. This solves two things for me. 1. most of the candy is gone. 2. I don't have to replace candy my boys can't have because of food allergies (I have to replace something like 90% of the candy they get Trick-or-Treating).
Just before Halloween, I found this pumpkin decoration. I also purchased a small rectangular piece of wood that I painted up and put rub on letters to make a sign to welcome the great pumpkin. I Drilled a couple of holes in my welcome sign and into the bottom of my pumpkin. The night of Halloween we put this sign on our front door letting the “Great Pumpkin” know he is welcome. Why the night before? Because I have another Halloween decoration that also hangs on our door. ;)
I know, I know….my boys are a bit spoiled. ;) The toys they got were Bakugans. The “Great Pumpkin” left them with about 10 pieces each of candy they could eat. They still kept a little candy and were totally thrilled with the exchange.
Oh and by the way, I got my idea from Anjeanette. She was talking about the idea a couple of years ago. I have to give credit where credit is due.
Katrina
Monday, October 25, 2010
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6 comments:
love this! my son is only 17 months so trick or treating will mostly be the neighbors and a friend or two down the road, then he may get one or two pieces - we will probably replace what he gets with stuff we would prefer he have. He gets very little candy so getting two pieces will thrill him. But next year, we'll be stealing this idea!
Here, the Halloween Witch always swoops by searching for dropped candy, or bags of candy left outside for her. (Why do you think her teeth are so awful?) She's kind though. She leaves a toy or book, etc.
.....cackling laugh!!!
We've been doing a version of this for many years now. My grandson has a peanut allergy and most candies either have a form of nuts or are manufactured on machinery that has handled nuts. He always wanted to go trick or treating, so we would take him out and let him do as much as he wanted. When he got home, his Mom had a bag prepared earlier with items he would love, and he swapped his trick or treat bag for the prepared one. He's in his teens now, no longer trick or treats, but still wants his Halloween bag!
Well then - credit where credit is due - you BOTH are geniuses! What a great solution! Way better than a month of tears or hiding candy or pulling kids down from the rafters!
I hope this idea catches on!
What a brilliant idea! I will have to borrow this one!
The Switch Witch visits our house! One of my girls even made up a song about her!
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