Today, Friday, October 31, is a Very Important Day. No, I’m not talking about Halloween, although Halloween plays a part in it. Today is a Very Important Day because it marks the official start of “Candy Season.” Candy Season stretches from October 31 (Halloween) until Easter Sunday every year. I have mixed feelings about it.
I like candy (at least chocolate candy) as much as the next person, but for the next six months, we are inundated with it. Candy seems to be a required part of almost every celebration, except for Thanksgiving—but even then, pie or cake of some kind is essential.
Ethical questions abound during Candy Season. Is it really evil to go through the Halloween candy left from the trick-or-treaters who never came and hide the Three Musketeers and Hershey bars from the rest of the family? Does Kayla really need the entire chocolate Santa that appeared in her stocking or the chocolate bunny that appeared in her Easter basket? Aren’t I really doing her a favor, saving her all those extra calories, if I eat at least part of it? Besides, it’s a jungle out there. Experience has taught me that my daughter is rifling through my candy quicker than I can rifle through hers.
I suffer internal struggles during Candy Season as well. The following conversation occurs more than I care to admit.
Sweet Tooth Self: “Did you know we have candy in the house?”
Healthy Self: “Have an apple.”
Sweet Tooth Self: “I repeat. Did you know there is candy in the house?”
Healthy Self: “It’s not chocolate; you don’t like other types of candy. Have an apple.”
Sweet Tooth Self: “Yes, there is chocolate. I buried it at the bottom of my sock drawer so Kayla and Mark won’t find it.”
(Note: Kayla is my daughter, and Mark is my husband.)
Healthy Self: “That was last month, and you have pretty well demolished all of that chocolate you put back. Besides, Kayla and Mark are getting suspicious—it’s hard for them to miss the fact that they haven’t been able to find chocolate since Halloween. Have an apple.”
Sweet Tooth Self: “I’ll show you!” (Reaches to the bottom of the sock drawer.) “Here's a mini-Snickers bar."
Healthy Self: “Show off! Have an apple.”
Sweet Tooth Self: “But it’s a mini-Snickers bar!”
Healthy Self: “Well, nuts are part of a healthy diet….”
Sweet Tooth Self: “I told you!”
Healthy Self: “Eat it, quick. We'll give Kayla the apple. It will keep her healthy.”
Do you have candy season at your house? How do you deal with excess chocolate when it floats through your life?
