Too Much Halloween Candy? Try a Visit from the Switch Witch
The Switch Witch first came to our house a few years ago when our oldest child began trick or treating and started accumulating excess candy. By the time he was three years old, he figured out what delightful treasures were available with a knock at the door and the flash of a smile. That year he went to a few houses, but it got me thinking about what happens when his legs get longer, he covers more ground and his bounty increases. What will we do with all of the candy? My first thoughts were:
1) Convince the kid to skip trick or treating. The first step is to decrease the amount coming in. Don’t worry I’m not that mean of a parent, at least not in this instance!
2) Convince the kid to choose the non-candy items. You know, tattoos, stickers or pencils, right? I wish! Totally not my kid, he goes for the biggest candy bars and will even ask if he can get an extra piece!
Then, my dear high school friend introduced me to this brilliant idea for the excess candy. The SWITCH WITCH.
Who is the Switch Witch?
A witch who flies around on Halloween night in search of candy to feed her naughty cat. The Switch Witch visits houses on Halloween night, takes the candy for her cat and replaces it with a non candy treat. Usually the treat is something along the lines of a book, small toy, coloring book, or a movie. The kids keep a few pieces of candy and the rest goes to the witch and her gluttonous cat. Pinterest has Switch Witch poems to familiarize the kids with the concept at the beginning or even as an annual reminder.
After the kids have emptied, sorted and organized their favorite candy, the rest goes back into their trick or treat pumpkin bags. (Similar bags are solid at Pottery Barn Kids.) We leave these by the fireplace for the Switch Witch to come and grab. For those worried about witches coming into the house, I’ve heard the bags can also be left outside on the porch. In the morning, the kids peek into the pumpkin bag to see what exciting treat was left behind.
The trick to making the Switch Witch successful is the treat must be better than the candy. One year she brought a Disney Storybook Collection book and the kids still refer to it as the one from the Switch Witch.
Halloween is right around the corner and that leads to gobs of candy coming into the house. Our youngest child will be joining the older two kids for trick or treating which means even he will be showing off his two-year-old grin for sweet treats. Now with the Switch Witch we have a solution for all the candy.
Still want to satisfy a sweet craving and need a healthier option? Click here for my recipe to the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip.
What are some of your favorite costumes for this year? Comment below.