Defying Gluttony – The Switch Witch
Halloween was my favorite holiday as a kid – it probably had something to do with my endless desire to wear costumes. I still can’t believe I found work as an adult where they paid me to basically … wear costumes. Anyway, now as a mom, I love Halloween even more, watching my little ones ponder what they want to be and then take great pride as they put on their costumes on the actual day. The one downside I see is what you end up with at the end of the night. Can we talk about portion control with the candy? As a kid, I recall getting one piece of candy from each house, but my girls and their friends are getting handfuls. It doesn’t take a Rhodes Scholar to see the effect of the super-sized Halloween – it’s not good for the kids, or (if I’m being honest as I dig my hands through their loot) me. Now, I’m not a total curmudgeon, treats are an integral part of the coolness of Halloween – all I’m saying is, do we need that much? Enter the Switch Witch – a lovely woman of magical tidings not unlike the Tooth Fairy. Here’s how she enters the picture: a few weeks before Halloween (right now, in fact) start talking to your kids about something they might like to have – the toy from the commercial, or that cute skirt at Target. Then spend other moments talking up nutrition and health and whatnot. Then a few days before Halloween, tell them about the email you just received from the Switch Witch, who offers a marvelous trade! On the night of Halloween, after all the Trick-or-Treating is done, go through the candy with your kids and pick out a reasonable amount of their favorites (and yours) to keep. Then package all the rest into a paper bag and leave it on your doorstep. Once your kids are asleep, the amazing Switch Witch takes that bag and leaves the coveted toy or item in its place. Where does the candy go, your children ask? Perhaps to build candy houses in the woods, perhaps to feed a clan of trolls, perhaps to daddy’s work, where it magically disappears in the snack room. You choose. Result: you get the sugar and calories out of the house, the kids get a cool new belonging, and now all you have to contend with are the endless influx of baked goods coming in a month and half!