10 Fun Alternatives to Halloween Candy
In a society where one in three children is considered obese or on the verge of obesity, American consumers spend about $950 million on Halloween candy each year, as of 2008. Conscientious yet spirited consumers might be tempted to distribute responsible alternatives like raisins and granola bars, or dental floss and tiny toothbrushes as reminders for the end of the night, but other treat alternatives in keeping with the fun and thrills of the night are also worth considering. Does this Spark an idea?
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Stickers and Stamps
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Spooky and wacky Halloween-themed stickers and stamps can help the spirit of the festive occasion live beyond the night. Kids may use the fun images of goblins, witches, pumpkins and black cats as decor for their note books, rooms, bodies or trick-or-treat containers.
Haunted House
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If you really feel like going all out, offer trick-or-treaters fun and memorable thrills, screams and laughter by decking out your home as a haunted house they can explore in between candy-solicitations.
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Temporary Tattoos
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Halloween-themed body decor offers kids a festive addition to accentuate their costumes for the night, or, again, to keep the thrill of Halloween alive in the days following their night of trick-or-treating.
Pencils, Pencil Toppers and Erasers
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Kids can always use more school supplies, and these would certainly be a welcome aesthetic change from the generic yellow and pink contraptions kids use for classwork everyday.
Play Dough or Putty
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Both are available in mini-containers in toy stores or toy sections, and are perfect for hands-on Halloween fun. These options are timeless favorites with youngsters and allow them to mold their goodies into whatever personalized -- albeit nonedible -- treats they wish.
Mini Bubble Bottles
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Whether it's the amusement of seeing the traces of color formed by the reflections and refractions of light from inside and outside the floating bubble, or gazing in anticipation of the inevitable pop of the evanescent bubble shape, bubbles are always be a fun favorite among children of all ages.
Glow-in-the-Dark Treats
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These visually thrilling treats are especially perfect for the darkness and eeriness of Halloween night. Whether kids wear them, carry them, or toss them into their buckets of candy for a cool illuminating effect that will last the night, they'll enjoy the nifty complement to the rest of their Halloween goodies.
Money
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Coins make the nice, enticing "clink!" sound when you drop them into kids' containers, although kids certainly don't find dollar bills to be anything to huff at either. Hopefully, such contributions won't just mean children trotting off to purchase candy on their own with their newfound wealth.
"Trick" Toys
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Treats more of the "trick" persuasion -- like slime, false teeth, wax lips, fake moustaches, fake glasses and fake spiders -- are a thrilling addition to kids' candy buckets that can add to the fun of the night.
Hot Cocoa Packets
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It's probably not the healthiest option, but hot cocoa makes for a tasty non-candy novelty treat as the perfect finale to wash down the many treats consumed by night's end.
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References
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