The Switch Witch (Save Your Kids From Halloween Candy Madness)!

The Switch Witch is a GOOD witch that visits your house while your kids sleep, takes their Halloween candy, and switches it for an awesome toy.

Written by Genevieve Howland
Updated on June 09, 2024

The Switch Witch halloween candy allergies kids

So you want your kids to enjoy all of the fun of Halloween without chowing down on approximately 10 pounds worth of high-fructose corn syrup….

Or maybe you have a child with allergies who wants to participate in the festivities, but can’t eat the candy…

Who’s gonna help you?

The Switch Witch, of course!

Have you heard of my friend the switch witch? She’s a GOOD witch that visits your house while your kids sleep. She takes their Halloween candy and switches it for an awesome toy.

I know a few moms who get visits from the switch witch every Halloween, and their kids end up anticipating the TOY and the SWITCH even more than their Halloween candy.

The Story of the Switch Witch

Now, to sell your kids on the Switch Witch, you may need to come up with a little backstory. Here’s some info that can help inform your tale:

The Switch Witch lives on the dark side of the moon. And she’s a good with that LOVES candy. Of course, ALL witches loves candy, but none as much as her.

In fact, the switch witch LOVES candy SO much that she’s eager to trade AMAZING toys to little boys and girls in exchange for their Halloween candy stash.

Of course, the boys and girls can keep a LITTLE candy for themselves, but the more they give the Switch Witch, the better their toy will be.

This only happens once every year, because the switch witch eats all of the little boys and girls’ candy over the course of the whole year. Then, just as she starts to run out of candy, it’s Halloween time again—time for another visit from the Switch Witch.

Other Names for the Switch Witch

Is the notion of a witch sneaking into your kid’s room a little too scary? I hear that! The good news is that the switch witch can go by different names. You just need to get a little creative. Here are some suggestions for kids who find the image of witch too scary:

The Candy Fairy
The Great Pumpkin

No matter what you call the switch witch, the results are the same. It’s a fun new tradition for your family that results in wonderful toys for your kids and fewer trips to the dentist visits, to boot.

What Kind of Toys Does the Switch Witch Bring?

This is totally up to you! You can do a basket a la the Easter bunny, filled with things like coloring books and stickers. Or, you can do one big toy. I think these boxes by KiwiCo would make a great Switch Witch toy!

Does the Switch Witch visit your home?

I’d love to hear all about your own Halloween traditions. How do you handle all of the candy? Do you let your kids indulge just this once, or do your kids get a visit from someone like the switch witch? I’ve also heard that some dentists will even take the spare candy and give your kid something fun in exchange. Tell me about your family’s traditions in the comments below.

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About the Author

Genevieve Howland is a doula and childbirth educator. She is the bestselling author of The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth and creator of the Mama Natural Birth Course. A mother of three, graduate of the University of Colorado, and YouTuber with over 135,000,000 views, she helps mothers and moms-to-be lead healthier and more natural lives.

111 Comments

Lindsey Oct 31 at 10:36 am

The switch witch is optional for my kids. They can give up as much or little candy as they want, put it outside in a bowl, and a toy shows up in the morning in place of the candy (relative to the size of their donation). I save all the donated candy to add to the holiday military boxes we send overseas around Thanksgiving. Win win for everyone! they collect excess candy for the military, and keep whatever candy they want to use throughout the year.

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Zoey Harty Dec 10 at 8:09 pm

What is the purpose of allowing your kids to go trick or treating if they are not allowed to have unlimited access to the candy they worked soooo hard for?!? When I was a kid and when my parents were kids we were allowed unlimited access to our Halloween candy we worked so darn hard for. We turnout out just fine and very healthy. So, I think it is absolutely ridiculous to let your kid work so hard for their treats on Halloween night only to take them away from him/her or limit their access to their candy. Hey let kids be kids for pete’s sake!!!!

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- Blythe Oct 31 at 8:41 am
  
  I love this! Thank you! To the parents who don’t think allowing your children to have gobs of sugar and high fructose corn syrup is a problem, you are incorrect. You are allowing your children to hinder their immune system and create sugar addiction. This Switch Witch idea is brilliant.
  
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- Tasha Nov 1 at 5:24 pm
  
  My kids go absolutely nuts about the candy. It’s not the sugar content, it’s the sugar addiction. It turns into endless fights about “no, you can’t stuff your pockets with candy before you go to school” and “you cannot steal your sister’s candy.” There’s also hyper fixation. From the second they get picked up from school, it’s “can I have my candy?” “Where’s my candy?” “Did you eat my candy?” And attempts to sneak it happen the whole time they’re at home. Letting them control their intake doesn’t work either, my oldest eats until he pukes.
  
  They get to indulge the night of Halloween, then the candy gets switched for a toy. It puts an end to the fighting, the sneakiness, and all the other issues that sugar addiction comes with.
  
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- Charlotte Nov 1 at 4:15 pm
  
  I agree with you, I was born in the 1966 and it was fun for my generation. I hear my daughter and son in law doing the “switch witch”. I understand my 2 & 3 yo grandkids don’t need to eat all 100 plus pieces but, they get 5 pieces of chocolate and nothing with red 40 blue 9 yellow 16 or whatever the hell they are. Lol
  
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Allison Jan 8 at 7:55 pm

I’m confused how no one has mentioned this idea was stolen from the couple who brought their idea to Shark Tank? I’m assuming their idea failed and they never copyrighted it. Curious.

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yong cosey Dec 16 at 6:09 pm

Heya excellent blog! Does running a blog such as this require a large amount
of work? I have virtually no knowledge of
programming however I had been hoping to start my own blog in the near future.
Anyway, if you have any ideas or techniques for new blog owners please
share. I know this is off subject nevertheless I just wanted to
ask. Cheers!

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Mary Nov 7 at 9:44 am

Love your Switch Witch accent and acting! Really great!
My kids are still too little to go out trick-or-treating, but at my current house we have A LOT of trick-or-treaters. I don’t like spending money on candy (from my tight-budget days) and I don’t like participating in high-sugar low-nutrition events by adding more such treats, so I decided three years ago to hand out Halloween jokes. When kids say “trick or treat” I take it as a question and give THEM a treat! They love it! Now, if every house on the block were doing this I don’t think the kids would be very excited, but since we’re the only house then they love it! Parents get a kick out of the jokes, too, and if I run out then I just go inside and print some more. Every year someone calls us the “trick house” or says “you guys are famous!” One little girl this year said that we are her FAVORITE house! Wow!
I don’t think we’ll be in such a great trick-or-treating neighborhood when we move soon. I wanted to pass on this idea to anyone looking for a great Halloween idea.
Happy fall everyone!

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- Mary Nov 7 at 9:46 am
  
  Whoops, I meant to say when the kids say “trick or treat” I say, “I have a trick for you!” They are usually happily surprised and read the joke on the spot! Sometimes we spend a few minutes with a group laughing and reading a few jokes.
  
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Martie Oct 28 at 1:09 pm

I think this is a great idea! My 5 year old granddaughter has a severe peanut and tree nut allergy but wants to go halloweening like her cousins. People don’t understand that she can’t have most candies, even the ones without obvious nuts….alot of the candy is made in a “facility containing peanuts/tree nuts” and therefore there’s the risk of cross-contamination. Thanks for the great idea.

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Candy Fairy Oct 28 at 9:02 am

You can “Switch” without lying! I was lucky not to be traumatized when I found out about Santa and the Tooth Fairy, but I totally understand that many people felt awful about being lied to for so long. But fortunately, you don’t have to lie to your kids and order for them to enjoy the story! Just imagine how much they enjoy playing Elsa and Anna and Lightning McQueen…they know these things aren’t “real,” but they love playing it anyway! They can know that you are the Switch Witch, the Candy Fairy, etc., and still enjoy the fun of the Switch ? Tell the story and let them know that you are excited for your family to “play” Switch Witch this year!!! You don’t have to outright say, “And I’m the Switch Witch, just so you know!” They understand play better than we do 🙂 We’ve always done this with Santa and the Tooth Fairy, too! We know many families who do this, and the kids still get so much fun and joy out of the experiences! ? Happy Switching! <3

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- Tasha Nov 1 at 5:26 pm
  
  Literally nobody is traumatized or upset about being “lied” to about Santa or the tooth fairy 😂
  
  That’s one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard.
  
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  - Kim Oct 29 at 9:39 pm
    
    Totally untrue. When I found out my parents had out and out lied about Santa, who felt like a mix of a Father and Jesus to me, I felt bereft and betrayed. That is why my kids always knew that “Santa” is our way of concealing the nice things we do for others, but more of an idea not a real person who actually comes to your house.
    
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Candy Fairy Oct 28 at 8:57 am

You don’t have to lie to your kids and order for them to enjoy the story! Just imagine how much they enjoy playing Elsa and Anna and Lightning McQueen…they know these things aren’t “real,” but they love playing it anyway! They can know that you are the Switch Witch, the Candy Fairy, etc., and still enjoy the fun of the Switch 🙂 Tell the story and let them know that you are excited for your family to “play” Switch Witch this year!!! We’ve always done this with Santa and the Tooth Fairy, too! 🙂 Happy Switching! <3

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Jaklyn Hutchins Nov 1 at 4:48 pm

Darling idea. I was the switch witch in our family….gradually the amount of candy disappeared, not for a toy, but to feed my own sweet tooth…maybe I was a very bad witch…

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Brittany Nov 1 at 11:14 am

It’s unfortunate how many trolls hopped on to comment. I think this is a great idea as I don’t want my son eating HFCs and food dyes and I am severely allergic to chocolate. He’s only 10 weeks old, so this is still several years down the road, but I think it’s fantastic to buy a Montessori toy vs. nothing at all.

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Happy guy Oct 31 at 11:13 pm

Wow why all the negative comments. If you don’t like it move on. Stop hating.

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yvette Oct 13 at 8:24 pm

I sell my candy to my local dentist. They pay $1 per pound, up to 5 lbs per kid (the amount is different depending on the dentist) With 4 kids I get $20 and use this money to buy organic chocolate and organic treats.

The dentist send this candy to the troops. You can find a dentist near you here: http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/

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Robin V. Oct 13 at 2:46 pm

I had three children to raise and we chose not to celebrate Halloween for personal reasons. Instead, we all went into our backyard trailer and did arts and crafts or watched a movie leaving the house dark. We could then go to Walgreens the day after and buy a bag of candy for 10 cents. They loved it. As they got older we stayed in the back of the house and did our thing. They didn’t even want candy anyway. They have lots of great memories and do not plan on celebrating Halloween either. I’m glad to have chosen a healthier way to live.

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Linda Nov 4 at 9:49 am

The Switch Witch is a terrible idea. Why not just teach your kids about healthy eating and moderate their intake. Or donate the food to a homeless shelter together.

My kids came home thinking the switch witch was going to give them toys for their candy. Some of their peers got very pricey dolls. Not every family can afford to give “awesome toys” in exchange for cheap candy.

Please think about what you are teaching your kids with this switch witch gimmick. You certainly aren’t helping them learn healthy food habits if they need toys to give up junk.

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- Brittany Nov 1 at 11:05 am
  
  They don’t need Ross to give up junk, but when other kids are eating tons of candy and they can’t have any sure to dietary or other reasons, why not have something fun for them? It doesn’t have to be expensive. It doesn’t have to be a toy. Maybe surprise them with a movie ticket, trip to a cool park, or their favorite breakfast. Something for them to build memories around.
  
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  - Brittany Nov 1 at 11:07 am
    
    Toys, not Ross.
    
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William Nov 1 at 6:07 pm

Everybody: Don’t fall for this. This is an attempt to create a new market for Halloween gifts. So now, in addition to the billions we spend on candy and other standard Halloween fare, we’ll have to buy presents for kids and make somebody a lot of money.

It’s a solution to an imaginary problem crafted to line somebody’s pockets. This is not our culture. You don’t get presents for Halloween.

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- Anya Nov 2 at 3:03 pm
  
  Soooo…you take away all their cAndy and they don’t get anything for replacement?? And who says the toy has to be a video game or something expensive? Our ‘culture’ is to feed kids chemicals, processed sugars and toxins on this holiday. Sorry but that’s not something healthy mamas want for their kids.
  
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  - John Oct 8 at 8:01 am
    
    I have a better idea — don’t take away their candy. Binging on sweets a handful of times a year isn’t going to hurt them.
    
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- Sabrina Cox Oct 21 at 1:50 pm
  
  It is no different from Christmas with some kids getting over the top gifts. We do the Switch Witch in our house. One year she brought new pajamass, another was a new book. And she only takes the cheap/nasty suckers/candy (plus a few favorites for herself). They get to keep some and learn moderation with the rest. Plus, no need to fill their candy buckets all the way up. We only go out for a little while with some friends.
  
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- Brittany Nov 1 at 11:10 am
  
  Just relax. Keep feeding your kids (if you have any) the free candy door to door. Why can’t you just accept some people want an alternative to candy?
  
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Jennifer A. Oct 20 at 11:29 am

Thanks for the Wonderful idea Mama Natural! After watching documentaries like “Fed Up” and learning from other resources, I was concerned about the amount of sugar in-take my children would be getting throughout school, holiday’s, and other activities. It’s really amazing how much we push sugar at children in our culture. Anyways, I wanted my child to be able to enjoy dressing up, and going trick-or-treating, but I was struggling with how to handle all the candy. I love the Switch Witch product and idea (along with your comical video clip!), as it allows the child to trick-or-treat with their friends, while also minimizing the candy madness.

So thank you for the wonderful post! : )

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treats Mar 5 at 7:17 am

These include popular treats like gummy worms, sour patch kids, Swedish fish,
jujubes, gummy bears, and jelly beans. The next time that you
find a shop assistant handing out a free chocolate
your way, stop and think whether it is good for you.
I am rounding up some ideas that would surely work for you on this Valentine’s Day.

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Amber @ Au Coeur Nov 2 at 2:08 am

Or, you could give your children the tools to make the right decisions when you aren’t around to take the “bad” thing away under the cover of darkness. We don’t eat HFCS or artificial colors. My daughter knows this and at 4 she accurately sorted her Halloween candy herself. Then she handed the garbage candy back out to trick-or-treaters who came to our house (in the past we’ve thrown it away, but she really wanted to give it away so that’s what we did this year). She was left with maybe 12 chocolate types of candy. Last night, she took small bites of a couple and said she didn’t like them and threw them away. Today, we did a side-by-side taste test of a Hershey’s milk chocolate bar and a 76% quality dark chocolate bar — after one nibble of the milk chocolate, she elected to throw it away in favor of the real chocolate. I’m a huge advocate of teaching our children about food. If you don’t involve them in the process, then they won’t understand or be able to make healthy decisions in the future.

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Bryan Nov 1 at 2:21 pm

It seems that the best way to “save your kids from halloween madness” is to just not go. Why do we have to go out dressing up and getting candy? We know it’s not good for them in high quantities. We know it’s not good for us in high quantities. We waste the money on ridiculous outfits that are used rarely and outgrown quickly. We buy all this candy and it promotes the companies that make this stuff and supports them rather than saving the money, paying off our debt, buying something useful for our kids, helping them learn the basics of life. Not wrong to enjoy some candy every now and then, but it doesn’t seem right that we encourage the poor behavior and health problems in our kids with this excess. Not to mention that it would be so much better if instead of one day a year we go to our neighbors and ask for/expect something, we were to go more often to give something. Maybe you do that – great! Keep it up. There seem to be so many better things to teach our kids than going to get candy from the neighbors.

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- Erin Oct 28 at 6:09 pm
  
  If you don’t want to do the things children love, don’t have kids. How can you deprive them of something so fun? Part of being a good parent is giving wonderful memories to look back on. Going out once a year does not teach them bad things.
  
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  - Alyssa Nov 3 at 10:10 am
    
    Erin, I disagree with your comment. I grew up in a household where we were did not go trick or treating and I don’t feel “deprived” at all. Instead we either went to costume parties, or other types of group activities. Saying someone shouldn’t have children because they don’t believe in taking their kids trick or treating is extremely rude. There are plenty of other options for parents to create wonderful memories for their children and if in the end, they decide trick or treating is not right for their family, there is nothing wrong with that.
    
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    - I Sep 18 at 8:28 pm
      
      And I disagree with you. You misrepresent what the responder said. The OP said not to waste money on ridiculous costumes that will be outgrown quickly. That’s what she was objecting to. She never said you have to go trick or treating.
      
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  - Zoey Harty Dec 10 at 7:54 pm
    
    I totally agree with you Erin, because I am 51 years old. When I was growing up and when my mom was growing up we were ALWAYS allowed to have unlimited access to our Halloween candy. Yet, we turned out just fine. That is we still do not have weight problems, we are still active, we still eat healthy and we still take excellent care of our teeth. So, hey let your kids have unlimited access to that Halloween candy, because after all they worked their butts off for it and that is the least a parent can do!!!
    
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Eva Burns Nov 1 at 12:09 pm

I don’t agree with this. You allow your children to knock on doors, take candy from people, who had to pay for it, some houses get over 100 kids, so it isn’t cheap. Then you take most of the candy away and award them with a present. Why not go to a few houses and then participate in the local recreation centre parade or attend another community event, or have your own small party. The kids still get to show off their costume. Are you teaching them it is okay to take things from people and then throw it away? Or if I greedily gather up as much stuff that I don’t want, I can trade it for something I want?

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- Dari Nov 2 at 5:28 pm
  
  Hear hear. This Switch Witch thing really rubs me the wrong way. It’s such a wasteful practice. If you don’t want your kids to eat the candy, why encourage them to take it from others? If they get too much candy, why not exercise restraint and visit fewer houses while trick-or-treating? This reminds me of ancient Roman gluttons, who’d stuff themselves feasting, then force themselves to barf it up so they could overeat some more. Abhorrent overconsumption. Ick.
  
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Katherine Nov 1 at 9:51 am

What is the world coming to? No candy on Halloween? BAD PARENTING.

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- Zoey Harty Dec 10 at 7:57 pm
  
  I hear ya! Just because a kid has unlimited access to Halloween candy does not mean s/he will become a blimp when s/he becomes an adult.
  
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Nancye Nov 1 at 8:44 am

We do something similar- I “buy” their candy for 5 cents a piece and then we head to the Lego Store. Last year my kids had over 200 pieces each! They each keep about 15 pieces, so they get a treat but it doesn’t last forever. We save some for Christmas gingerbread houses and the rest gets donated to a group that sends candy to soldiers overseas. Not sure it’s good for them either, but I like to believe it makes them happy to get halloween candy when they are surrounded by foreign foods and cultures.

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- Jennifer A. Oct 20 at 11:20 am
  
  I really like this idea of exchanging the candy for money, and taking the children on an outing to a beloved store, so they can choose the treat! I also appreciate your suggestion of what to do with the extra candy (as I don’t like wasting; even if it is candy). Thank you for your suggestions! : )
  
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Christina Stevenson Nov 1 at 7:30 am

We switch but we do it with other food items. Jared brings in the candy and that night we switch out what he got for healthy treats. Thanks to him poking his head in when I watched the online film “GMO-a-go-go” he already knows that GMO’s are bad. He loves to say “GMO corn is sad. Organic corn in happy!” So we just tell him that the candy he got has GMO corn in it. The candy then becomes like currency that he can spend once a day for something healthy. A few of the treats are less healthy like lollipops but they are all organic and do n0t have corn syrup.

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LDB Nov 1 at 12:50 am

Speaking as an adult who remembers being a child, I would have told my mother where to stick this idea.

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E.C.MAMA Oct 31 at 11:11 pm

Wow. Just wow. I am amazed at how intense some of the comments on this itty bitty subject is. I am seriously glad I live in Australia where Halloween doesn’t exist except on TV. No one goes trick or treating where I am. But in general we’re a less food obsessed people. The only truly “sacred” meal being the “Aussie Barbie” in which obscene amounts of meat and veg are mercilessly barbequed and eaten. Sometimes we even have salad! The great thing about this is that we choose what meat and vegetables we use (grass-fed, organic etc) and the method of cooking so not too unhealthy.
Even Christmas is often celebrated with said Barbie.. though we do include a Roast turkey some years and a Christmas ham. But there’s really not much candy involved over here even at Easter time most families just get some chocolate for their kids but there isn’t basket after basket of it. Mine only got one egg each last Easter.. we don’t really observe it.

So as someone on the fence just watching I think every ones got some good points such as why waste food or why give toxic stuff to other kids if you’re not willing to give it to your own.. but here’s an idea:

why not do your trick or treating the day before with your crunchy friends and give the kids little fin size safe products OR give the home owner something you want your kids to have before they go trick or treating that they can give to your kids when they arrive and keep it to your neighborhood only so they don’t get the junk.

1, they won’t get as much food and
2, you can police it without annoying everyone on your block.

As parents we get to decide what our kids eat and what we offer others. Own it.

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- E.C.MAMA Oct 31 at 11:14 pm
  
  oh forgot to say if the neighbors ask why instead of telling them their candy is poison you can tell them “My child has food sensitivities and can’t have candy but I don’t want them to miss out, here’s something they can have. would you please give this to them? ” *remember to smile and be genuine*
  
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- MamaP Oct 28 at 11:40 pm
  
  Like to hear your point of view all the way from Australia E.C.Mama! It seems to me as well that everyone has their own good and fair points. Also everyone has their own way of doing things.
  Your idea of doing it with friends was a nice idea.
  
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  - MamaP Oct 28 at 11:43 pm
    
    Forgot to mention that it was a fun post. Thanks for sharing Genevieve.
    
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Sarah Oct 31 at 8:21 pm

I don’t usually post things, but I’m just appalled by the negative comments about throwing candy away. Let’s just take a moment and take a look at our own childhoods. Here’s how my typical Halloween looked as a child. Go out trick or treating in the snow, come home eat maybe two or three pieces, put the rest back in my bag to “save”, get a couple of pieces in my lunch throughout the week that were favorites and after that forget about the rest because it was all candy that I hated and didn’t want to eat (and this was before I became the crazy health food but). I suspect the rest was then THROWN away by my parents because they knew no one would eat the gross pieces that were left over (keep in mind it was probably most of the bag). If I had to take a wild shot in the dark, I would guess that at least 70% of homes throw away at least some portion of candy every year that their children don’t like anyway. Seems a little too prideful to assume that only parents with good intentions are the only ones throwing disgusting fake food away. And btw, I love all your posts Genevieve!

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- Genevieve Nov 1 at 8:17 pm
  
  We gave those lollipops out too. I’m sure some kids rolled their eyes as they certainly aren’t “sexy” candy but I feel better knowing they don’t have junk in them!
  
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Paula FW Oct 31 at 2:02 pm

Ha ha, that was a great video. Love your switch witch costume, accent, and skit! You’re missing (or fulfilling!) your second calling in acting! 😉

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- Jennifer A. Oct 20 at 11:24 am
  
  I agree with Paula! Kuddos on the acting job as the Switch Witch! I honestly feel like I want to show that section of the video clip to my children. I think the Switch Witch people should have a clip like that, to help explain the idea to children (with flair of course!). ; )
  
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Dina Oct 30 at 7:58 pm

We have always just told the kiddos they can have as many pieces as their age. We put them in the freezer and they can eat it all in one day or spread it out. Then we throw the rest out. I don’t mind a little. My oldest son caught on when he was about 12 that this kinda stinks! We were thrilled it took him so long! It worked for us.

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- Jennifer A. Oct 20 at 11:25 am
  
  Neat idea! I love the idea of giving a piece per age. & I like that it gives the children a choice and some autonomy as to how, when, and how much they eat of their candy. Thanks for sharing! : )
  
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Kelly Oct 30 at 7:50 pm

We don’t do Santa, Easter bunny and Tooth Fairy stuff so I am not ok with the making up some new story for kids to believe then figure out it was all a lie when they are older. I have always been strict with sweets in our house. My oldest didn’t know what dessert was until she was at least 3. If we have special treats such as cakes, or candies in the house then it’s limited and my kid has never made a fuss about it. She really didn’t care for any of it until this past year (she is 6 now). The reason is probably because I came a tiny bit more relaxed when my second was born (20 months ago). If you just take the time to create some boundaries when they are young with sweets and stick to it, kids aren’t going to question it.

Just my 2 cents.
🙂

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KitiKatz Oct 30 at 12:48 pm

Hey, she came to my house and switched out all the candy for neat toys to give out to the kids! I have goodie bags full of fun stuff for all age groups, PLUS 2 glow bracelets that they get to wear right away! That way they are “seen” when they leave my house and can go around for more treats in safety!

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Cati Oct 29 at 1:48 pm

I think this is a cute idea.
At our house, we have a little different approach…
Our kids to trick or treat, but not the whole neighborhood–mostly family. I let my kids pick out a good handful of candy and let them eat it right there and then. I try to gently steer them away from the neon colored candies, but Nerds and Skittles are definitely a favorite. (Not the end of the world to have one night.) They have a few pieces, all at once, then the rest of the candy kind of “disappears.” The result is that the kids don’t feel deprived (because they got to eat a few pieces in one sitting) and fun has been had, and they know that eating a few pieces of candy every day until it’s gone (which can take a LONG time!) is just more than necessary. After all, it’s not as if that’s the only “treat” they’re offered on a daily basis.
Also, I think it helps that Mom and Dad don’t gorge themselves on candy for days or weeks, just because Halloween came and went.

This year, I bought a bag of Yummy Earth suckers to hand out to the neighborhood kids. I don’t know if they’ll appreciate that it’s a slightly “healthier” candy or not, but I feel a little better about not contributing to the neon-colored mass of candy. One per kid!
I hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween. :o)

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- Genevieve Nov 1 at 8:16 pm
  
  We gave those lollipops out too. I’m sure some kids rolled their eyes as they certainly aren’t “sexy” candy but I feel better knowing they don’t have junk in them!
  
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- Maye Oct 1 at 7:18 pm
  
  YummyEarth tastes hell of a lot better than some of the other crap.. tootsie pops.. dum dums.. that stuff you used to get at the doctor’s office or the bank. My daughter loves YummyEarth pops, she won’t eat the other lollipops!
  
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Michelle Oct 29 at 12:37 pm

We too use the Halloween Fairy. Our son has the choice of keeping his candy or leaving it out for the Halloween Fairy. He ALWAYS chooses the Halloween Fairy. A small box of legos or what ever he is into lasts a lot longer then a bag of candy, of which only a few pieces he actually likes. We do allow him to pick out a few of his or our favorites to keep. The rest goes to work with my husband, and those guys who work nights or need a late day sugar rush can get it. Its a win win situation. I am not so sure why there are so many haters chiming in on here. If you don’t like it don’t do it, if you don’t like that someone else throws away your candy get over it. Not every kid who comes to your house is going to like what you hand out regardless of whether or not they have a switch witch.

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Linamarie Oct 28 at 8:50 pm

Reminds me of eve the Halloween fairy. Same kind of thing. Been doing it every year since my son was 2. He’d rather have a toy than candy. Plus we don’t have any in the house so he doesn’t even care anyway. He will take a bite and be done. 😉

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C Ed Oct 28 at 5:34 pm

I have mine leave their candy in their buckets on the front porch before bed. The toys, books, socks, juice, or whatever I put in them is there (Easter basket style) in their bucket the next morning.

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- Genevieve Oct 28 at 8:05 pm
  
  Awesome! That way the Switch Witch never even needs to come inside 😉
  
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- Lolli S Oct 30 at 11:06 pm
  
  Love this!!
  
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Jennifer Oct 28 at 1:32 pm

The houses in big neighborhoods give out the crappy candy. They get so many kids coming to their houses so they can’t afford to buy the nice candy. They just buy a lot of the cheapest kind they can find. But, if you go to houses in areas that are more rural and don’t get much traffic, you will hit the mother load. Like, multiple full-sized candy pieces, as opposed to a tiny little lolly pop or something. Plus, I trust the well-known brands anyway, some of the tiny crap scares me. This may be a little counter intuitive since you may end up with more candy, but at least it’s “good”. Let your kids have a little bit, and then put the rest away and have a piece one in a while.

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Caroline Oct 28 at 12:24 pm

I go through all the candy and pick out whatever will be great for gingerbread house decorations. That way they get less candy and we get cool well decorated gingerbread houses. Stored in a sealed tupperware, stays fresh. Seems a win win.
As a mother of 5, I am not going out and buying them all a new toy. What works for people with one kid can be too overwhelming for a large family.

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Sephia8 Oct 28 at 1:18 am

Trick or Treating in the North East/Mid-West part of the country where most Halloweens are filled with temps below 40º-30º. 9 out of 10 times it seems to be raining or snowing. I can not count how many times I remember trick or treating in my snowsuit, with mittens, hats, boots, and trudging through a couple of inches of SNOW.

Last year I was 6½months pregnant. It was about 38º outside and drizzling. The youngest was 2 at the time and the others all old enough to run ahead. Friends took us to a “new” richer neighborhood, but this also turned out to be hilly, well spaced homes up long driveways. DH slowly followed the crew in the 12 passenger van but it got tiresome very quickly for all. Every other house or every 2 houses would be lit and “open” for trick or treaters, so the amount of walking we did for “full sized” candy bars was ridiculous.

It didn’t take long for our feet to become soaked from the wet, wet grass we walked through. Even less time for kids to start complaining about being cold, wet, tired, etc etc. Some of the younger ones would take breaks and sit in the van to warm up. DH and I would trade off, with him walking and me driving.

At the end of the night, we were all freezing, sniffling, soaked, tired and miserable. As we climbed back into the van, I had the epiphany. “WHY were we doing this?!”

So I asked the kids right then and there, who would rather get the same amount if not more candy than this, without having to go door to door?
Every single hand shot up! Our new tradition was born.

No more misery, no more unwanted candy that would go wasted or half eaten, licked and then stuck somewhere for me to find. Instead we can have a healthier, warmer, relaxed, FUN holiday for the first time ever!
My brother died a few weeks ago, so this year will be a little laxed in creativity, but next year when I am less depressed and stressed; there will be lots of fruits, toys, small gifts, and of course candy!

Some have accused me of taking the fun out of the holiday. The attribute the traditional trick or treating with the whole holiday. I say it’s what you make of it! I’d rather be happier, warmer, and more relaxed – and ironically so do my kids! They aren’t losing out on anything, either! Parents will still be involved. They’ll still have the option to trick or treat with friends (whose parents still have not figured this holiday hack out yet). They’ll still trick or treat at parties, malls, events, etc. They aren’t missing out one bit! Except for the miserable part of it!

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Angie Oct 27 at 10:17 pm

We totally do this! It’s funny, we thought we ‘made this up’ when our oldest was 2 yrs old and trick-or-treated for the first time … but apparently we aren’t the first to think of this LOL! We call ours the ‘Pumpkin Fairy’. Our kids totally look forward to this more than the candy each year. Yay!!

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- Michelle Oct 29 at 12:29 pm
  
  LOL! Us too. Ours is called the Halloween Fairy. My son loves it.
  
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Rebecca Oct 27 at 9:16 pm

Our way of limiting candy is our kids only trick or treat on our street then we leave for a party at my uncle’s house. His party has a bonfire and it is a soup and chili pot luck. The kids are so excited about the party they don’t care about the shorten trick or treating.

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Tamara Oct 27 at 8:33 pm

For personal reasons we don’t do Santa or Easter bunny and such but the idea of switching the candy for a toy is great for our situation. My daughter is 2 and we were so excited for her first real Halloween just to find out a month before that she is truly allergic to peanuts and will even react to something made in a facility with peanuts. I was trying to decide if I should switch all her peanut candy with other candy but instead maybe we can switch it for a toy!

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Amy @ Nourishing Bites Oct 27 at 7:51 pm

I pay my kids to give me their candy (they love having their own money) and then we put the candy in a large jar. When the jar is full we get to go do something fun together as a family like mini golf or Pump It Up.

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Jillian Oct 27 at 7:49 pm

What a great idea!! My son is 3 1/2 and this is our first Halloween together. I don’t mind him having a little sugar but uck most of those cheap candies they get in their pails are garbage. They don’t even taste good! Like plastic. I think I’ll help him pick out the good ones (real chocolate!) and trade the rest for a toy. Thank you!!

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Felicity Oct 23 at 6:40 pm

I love this idea and your video. I’ve been trying to figure out how to navigate Halloween so that we can still participate in the trick-or-treating festivities without bringing home a big candy stash. Thanks for sharing. As an alternative to a toy, I’m thinking about “switching” the candy for a cheap or free activity or experience. I can make up a coupon or give actual tickets, depending on what I choose (a trip to a fun park we usually don’t go to, a visit to the free petting zoo nearby, tickets to ride the steam-train near our house, etc.)

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Jessica Meyer Oct 21 at 2:19 pm

For those having trouble just throwing the candy away, try one of these options.

http://www.operationgratitude.com/halloween-candy-buy-back-2012/

http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/

They are not up on my website yet, but will be later on this week.

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Anne Oct 18 at 11:35 am

Check out the book The Switch Witch
It is a great way to introduce the story of The Switch Witch to your kids. You can get it on Amazon. It made it so much more real for my kids.

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Margaret Oct 17 at 4:42 pm

I have a great idea. Why not limit how much candy you give them in the 1st place? Sorry, this is a Switch Witch is a horrible idea. Our children are spoiled enough as it is. In most cases, children do not need more candy. Nor do they need more toys. Seriously. It’s called parenting. Tell them, “NO”! have parents forgotten that simple little word?

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- Terri Oct 18 at 8:33 pm
  
  It is usually just a 5-10 dollar toy. I wouldn’t say that is spoiled. Why would you even bother to bring your kids trick or treating then? It is just a fun way to enjoy a twist from the usual tradition. If you don’t like it don’t use it for your kids, doesn’t mean it is not a good idea for others.
  
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Shannon Oct 29 at 1:21 pm

Last year my son, 4 at the time, thought it would be sooooo cool to make a gingerbread house and decorate it. I dreaded the project because it is so time consuming to bake, etc…We bought one and he loved the idea of covering the thing in his Halloween candy. He helped unwrap handfuls of choc. bars for bricks, and smarties for shingles. We ended up with a 10 lb. house, and very little candy was eated. Last year my plan worked, this year I am already seeing signs that it won’t! He is really loving money, and earning it, so this will be perfect for this year!!! Thank you for the idea!

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- Gretchen Nov 1 at 9:00 am
  
  This is the best idea I’ve read on this page.
  
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Anna Oct 29 at 8:22 am

Super idea! I would not hesitate to throw candy in the trash. Because that’s what it is – trash!

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- Kristina Oct 27 at 9:47 pm
  
  Then why bother going trick or treating?
  
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  - Megan Oct 28 at 10:26 am
    
    So your kids don’t grow up feeling you deprived something from them.
    
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    - Jennifer Oct 28 at 1:24 pm
      
      ….. like some candy??
      
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      - Morgan Nov 2 at 3:38 pm
        
        Yessss. Thank you Jennifer. A little candy once a year is not going to kill your kid. I, personally, don’t think throwing it away is a great option. What a wasteful, consumerist attitude.
Nicole Oct 26 at 11:45 am

Thank you so very much! What a great idea that we’ll start this year. The candy kills me since we don’t eat that way, but I feel cruel when I limit and hide it. 🙂

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Elle Oct 17 at 5:40 pm

This idea really does work. My then two year old twins got lots of candy, and I thought, “They’re two. They really should not be eating this.” I ended up giving my boy a toy truck and my girl a purple tutu. Now, they keep asking me if the October Witch is coming back!

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Cristina Farias Oct 17 at 4:09 pm

Great idea! I don’t have to worry about kids wanting to eat candy since my son is only a year old but I will def use the idea of the “Great Pumpkin” in the future.

Thanks!

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[email protected] Dec 29 at 10:40 pm

Your videos are AWESOME! I especially love this one. I’ve been trading candy with my kids for years. A few years ago, I actually had a neighbor chew me out for throwing candy in the trash. I couldn’t believe it! I try to be generous with buying healthier options for trade and making our own, so I don’t feel my kids are deprived at all. I feel bad for all the other children out there who are deprived of a strong foundation of health because of all the white sugar they consume. There are consequences to poor diet choices. When my kids get sick, it’s usually superficial and short-lived. Thanks for giving such practical ideas for reigning in the sugar train!

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- Genevieve Jan 1 at 10:24 pm
  
  Thanks so much Jenni! I know… I just had an experience where a lady wanted to give Griffin a big Christmas cookie with green frosting and M&Ms. He’s 15 months. He doesn’t need to be eating these types of things. I think she thought differently but I’m his mama ;). XOXO.
  
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Harold Frein Nov 17 at 12:22 am

OMG This is intense! Thanks! 🙂

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Brianna Nov 1 at 12:45 am

Oh I love this idea… we don’t do santa clause, easter bunnies, tooth fairies or any of that mumbo jumbo for personal reasons (mainly faith based reasons) but I love the idea of using candy as $$ for a new fun toy! We actually went trick or treating early this year, let the boys pick two pieces and when we ran out of candy gave it to the trick or treaters that came late! lol but next year when my son can understand this better I may give him an amount each piece is worth, add it up at the end of the night and let him pick out a new toy for that price the next day! Great thinking mama natural!

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- Megan Oct 28 at 10:19 am
  
  Check out Halloweencandybuyback.com – dentists will give your kids money for their candy.
  
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micaila Oct 31 at 2:01 pm

This is a great idea that we are going to implement today! I have a nice puzzle, book and a bag of Sunrype Fruitsource Fruit Bites to go with it. I figure then he has something sweet, but that is 100% fruit and much more satisfying to snack on!
As far as what to do with it, I know some places around here are actually collect it and sent it to the deployed troops.

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Sophie van Leeuwen Oct 31 at 5:12 am

I really love this idea! Bit i am curious as to what i do with the candy after i take it

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- Margie Nov 1 at 7:14 pm
  
  Don’t be shy… throw it out! Although. the suckers and life saver type candies can be used to make cool stained glass cookies at holiday time (and they can be stale too!) Which can decorate your home!
  http://recipes.kaboose.com/stained-glass-cookies.html
  
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  - Rae Oct 31 at 9:18 pm
    
    What a waste. People spend money to give your kids candy, then you take the candy and throw it out to spend more money on a present for your kids? You might as well not even let them go trick or treating. It’s wasteful for everyone. At least take the candy and donate it to a doctor’s office or something. Lots of places use candy as a reward system for kids (whether we agree with that or not).
    
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    - Terri Oct 18 at 8:29 pm
      
      Our offices don’t want candy. We try to promote health not junk food. Any Doctors office that gives out candy should be ashamed!
      
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      - Rae Quigley Oct 27 at 9:52 pm
        
        The problem isn’t candy, it’s the need for moderation. Lots of doctors offices have candy and lollipops after kids get their shots. Why should they be ashamed for that?
      - greatPunkin Oct 28 at 1:03 pm
        
        If we “try to promote health,” why lie to our children about a celebrity fairy tale creature who loves candy? Why not instead teach children that excess sugar can make our teeth and tummies hurt? Teaching moderation is a much sweeter solution which ensures that we don’t just save teeth from getting spoiled 😉 Just my two cents!
    - Lolli S Oct 30 at 11:04 pm
      
      Why give candy to other kids? In my thoughts, since the sugar in candy contributes to diabetes and cancer….if its not good enough for my kids, then why would I give it to someone else’s kid?
      Throw it out.
      
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    - Adreanne Oct 31 at 10:35 am
      
      Hmm Yes a Waste, I cannot stand doctors that have lollies sitting out as my children are allergic to it all! Dunno how many times you have watched your child of 2 and 3 yrs old walk by a basket full of suckers and cry cause they want one…. Yes I am bias… we have so many allergies my kiddos cant even eat an apple.. On top of that we are aware of the dangers of our food supply and do not want to support those that are making us sicker… So Why candies at all??????? Again I am bias… and my kiddos are allowed small amounts of mini candy that they can have… but very few moms and dads these days Want their kids to eat the insane amounts of sugar in the american diet!! I am not alone with allergies, and more importantly my distaste for kids hopped up on candy, and the rest of the population should not suffer soley becuase my kids have them so lets no take this reply there, thats not my goal… But my kids have to miss every party, every holiday… every experience like trick or treating due to foods… really Dont let them go…. Thats a crock!!! Maybe the WISER option is for us Sugar crazed Citizens to take a stand against the candy in General, how bout spending that same amount on a bag of mini crafts from the oriental trading company, dollar store glow sticks.. Stickers… fake tattoos…. Why must food be involved, especially candy… In every single holiday we have….. maybe that would be less wastefull all around!!!!!!!!!!!!!! then there would be more activities, crafts and fun things to do and less candy in general!
      
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  - Georgiana Oct 24 at 11:51 am
    
    I searched the internet last year and found where you can send the candy overseas to the military men and women who are not home with their families. I am sure they enjoy the sweet treats.
    
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    - Rae Quigley Oct 27 at 10:03 pm
      
      That would be lovely. My issue is with people throwing their candy out. That’s just unnecessary and wasteful. I just happen to also think this Switch Witch is ridiculous. Take them trick-or-treating, give them only a few pieces of candy, and limit their intake. Get rid of it if you want. But don’t go out and buy them toys just because you don’t want them to eat candy.
      
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    - Jennifer Oct 30 at 8:25 pm
      
      This is what our dentist office does. The kids bring in their new, unopened candy and he pays them $2/pound for it. Then he sends it overseas to the military men & women.
      
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Eny Oct 31 at 1:44 am

ha ha, I miss my little one when she is asleep too….. but then, when she gets up I can’t wait for her to go to sleep :)))
yes, waiting for more Griff video!!!

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AUNT MM Oct 30 at 7:04 pm

I agree about a GWS, too. Glad we’ll see him on Tuesday or will that be Thursday?

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CC Oct 29 at 5:20 am

P.S. Genevieve…I’m suffering from GWS (Griffin Withdrawal Syndrome) ;).

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- Genevieve Oct 29 at 8:43 am
  
  Aw, that’s how I feel at night when he’s sleeping :).
  He’ll be in Tuesday’s video so stay tuned…
  
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CC Oct 29 at 4:38 am

my mother’s version of the switch witch: don’t eat that, it’ll kill you. let’s go have Chinese instead.

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- Genevieve Oct 29 at 8:42 am
  
  LOL! What was some of your mom’s favorite dishes she made you?
  
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  - CC Oct 29 at 9:19 am
    
    My mother probably roasts one, maybe two chickens a year. It’s the best! Here the trend is to get chicken from a supermarket deli but dead birds that have been rotating in an oven for about a millenia don’t taste the same as homecooked…
    
    Reply

The Switch Witch (Save Your Kids From Halloween Candy Madness)!

The Switch Witch, of course!

The Story of the Switch Witch

Other Names for the Switch Witch

What Kind of Toys Does the Switch Witch Bring?

Does the Switch Witch visit your home?

Read This Next…

About the Author

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