Ever wonder what you could give out instead of just candy ? I have worked on this challenge before at Easter when filling eggs, but have not until now considered what alternatives I could do at Halloween.
First of all your Halloween alternative offerings should not break the bank. Secondly they should be age specific. In my family and group of friends, everyone from young children to old adults go out for the holiday, usually in costume. Halloween has always been a big holiday for our family, but especially since our youngest child was born on that day 22 years ago. When he was tiny he used to think the whole town came out for his birthday.
I am for a strategy where you actually hand out the treat rather than have people take it from an unattended bowl on your porch. You will see why when you see my list of alternatives. Some are definitely age specific. Plus you ought to get to know your neighbors.
I think it is important to have some candy at Halloween. Always choose something that is wrapped so that the parent or child can be sure that has not been handled. You might think that the candy would get cherry picked out. This will not be the case if you were the one doing the handing out. Moreover, at Easter, I have found that some of the other non-food items are actually more popular than the candy.
Here's the list:
- Tiny boxes of raisins
- Trinkets you've purchased for cheap at the thrift store
- Interesting buttons purchased by the jar at garage sales or thrift stores
- Tiny spools of thread purchased by the bag at the fabric store
- Craft items such as decorative pipe cleaners or pom-poms
- Glass “Jewels”, meaning the pretty glass rocks you put in the bottom of a vase of flowers, Usually available at the dollar store in a selection of sizes and colors.
- Stickers
- Glow bracelets usually available at the dollar store.
- Poems quotes or sayings written decoratively and in tiny envelopes
- My favorite: beads, especially large ones.
- Tiny rolls of ribbon
- Tiny toy soldiers or animals
- Office supplies such as decorative clips, rubber bands, tip erasers, or pencils
- Tea light candles
Basically I pick things I would like to get. Speaking of me, as you can see from the picture, I am still working hard on my costume. Guess who I am going to be.
Have a safe happy Halloween.
