Repurposing Halloween items for Thanksgiving and beyond

November 6, 11:35 AMOrlando Parenting ExaminerRobyn Kurth

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Orlando Parenting Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Don't throw out that pumpkin yet--an uncarved pumpkin makes a great Thanksgiving decoration.
Robyn Kurth

One week after Halloween, is there still a sizable stash of candy at your house? In addition to the annual trick-or-treat stash of goodies; did the kids also bring home sweets from classroom parties? If it still looks like Halloween harvest time at your house, here are a few tips on repurposing your candy and decorations for Thanksgiving and beyond.

Candy: Most parents already portion out the amount of candy gathered from the trick or treat stash, but of that bowl of sweet stuff is too tempting just sitting around the house, consider giving away the rest at the office, for upcoming Thanksgiving food drives at your local church, care packages for U.S. soldiers, or even a Christmas care package (as long as there are no obvious Halloween symbols on the packaging). Hard candies and gum work best for care packages; chocolate can melt just sitting in the car for too long here in Orlando.

Consider calling your child's dentist to see if they are participating in a Cash of Candy program. It's a fairly new concept nationwide where dentists offer kids cash (usually $1 a pound) to turn in their candy before it ends up stuck in their braces or causing cavities. There have been reports of some dentists doing this in Clermont and the Daytona Beach area in the days immediately following Halloween, but perhaps if enough families inquire about it more dentists in the Orlando area will participate next year. In many cases, the donated candy gets sent to U.S. soldiers stationed overseas.

Repurposing pumpkins: If you carved any pumpkins for Halloween, the Florida heat probably rotted them out within 48 hours (our kids discovered this year that carved pumpkins take longer to decompose in air conditioned comfort). If you still have fresh, uncarved pumpkins in the house, consider cutting them up for a fresh pumpkin soup or roasting the pumpkin seeds for a snack.

Fall harvest decorations: Although they do seem incongruous with Florida weather, our family has been known to pull out a traditional scarecrow or two as part of our pre-Halloween decorations. Fall harvest motifs still work well into the Thanksgiving season; even an uncarved pumpkin works well (although leaving squash and other gourds outside for too long can entice the local wildlife.) Once that pumpkin gets soft, however, out it goes.

Also keep a lookout for deep discounts on Halloween merchandise that can be used next year. Glow sticks can be repurposed for New Years Eve, Fourth of July, or even your next trip to Disney World--and at a fraction of the cost.