Nov 3, 2008

A Post Halloween Family Tradition!


Have you all heard of the Great Pumpkin?  Of course you have.  I thought you all might enjoy hearing about our family tradition with the Great Pumpkin.

Each year the girls seem to collect a good 7 to 8 pounds of candy (each).  Even the most sweet toothy-ist of kids can not consume that much candy......nor should they.  So back when the girls were little we started the tradition of giving their excess candy to the Great Pumpkin.

This is how it works.  The girls get to keep their candy for one week.  After the week is up they are allowed to pick out 10 of their most favorite pieces of candy.  Then they take all that remains and we put the candy out on the front porch for the Great Pumpkin to pick up.

In exchange for the candy the Great Pumpkin leaves a small inexpensive gift as a thank you (along with a new toothbrush).  These are never big gifts, but a small token of thanks for doing something that the Great Pumpkin knows is difficult to do.  

The Great Pumpkin then takes all the donated candy to homeless shelters.  Most shelters welcome the donations. 

My girls still get excited for the week to be up so that they can put out their candy and see what the Great Pumpkin left them.  Give it a try, it is a fun way to get that candy out of your house and out of your, I mean their mouths.

21 comments:

K said...

This is a great idea!
There were years when we needed to give away the excess toys at Christmas in the same fashion. I'm glad that we are past those couple of years of excess! I'm thankful that we are living in a way that is a blessing to others in many ways and deeds now.
Good example, friend!
Blessings.

Melissa said...

WOW...what a great, great, great idea!!! I think we will try that this year...hope the geat pumpkin will know to come to our house!! :)

Michelle said...

The Great Pumpkin always knows when someone sets candy out on their front porch!!!! :)

Kelsey said...

That's a really cute idea. When I was younger my mom would always just let me keep a piece or two from the whole night and then she would give it to my dad to take to the hospital. I think it would have been much more successful if there had been a Great Pumpkin!

Karen said...

that is a great idea! how come I never remember you saying that before??

Naturally Caffeinated Family said...

That's so cute and a great idea!!

Rhonda said...

now THAT is a grand idea! It's way smarter than letting my kids devour all they can for 3 days and then throwing away all the leftover Almond Joys and jolly ranchers (the unpopular candy with my family!)

Heather said...

That is such a great idea! I'll have to give that a try next year!

Claremont First Ward said...

Excellent tradition! My kids watched The Great Pumpkin on DVD about 50 times this year. :)

Anonymous said...

What a fun and thoughtful idea!!

Chris said...

I think that's a fantastic idea. It's never to early to encourage generosity in our children.
By the way -- you really should try licorice caramel -- it's better than it sounds.

magpie said...

you are SMART!!!! i love that you've started that as a tradition. just awesome!

Nikki King said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog! I love yours! Your girls are just beautiful ;) I'll be back to read more!

Della Hill said...

Great idea!
Your girls are beautiful!
(I'm jealous, I have 5 boys -who I love dearly).
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
See you again soon.
-Della

♥ Becky ♥ said...

I so love that movie!!!!! I was all about watching it last week.

This is the first year we had no Halloween candy. My 10 yr old boy decided that he would rather go to the local high school football game then go trick or treating and my 17 yr old girl, well she's just to good for all that.

Giving up the candy is a great idea after the first week and what better way then to give it to the Great Pumpkin for a cool little present. I saw a story last night on the news where a DDS was buying back candy from kids, I think giving a $1 a pound and then sending it to the troops overseas.

Michelle said...

Why didn't I think of that!?

LazyCrazyMama said...

that is about the coolest idea ever!

Pennies In My Pocket said...

What a fabulous idea!! I'm so going to have to remember this when my little Pumklin Doodles is older. Luckily, she didn't get any candy this year...she's 18 months. Loving this stage right now. LOL

~melody~

Rachel said...

This idea is nothing short of brilliant!

Lorie said...

I LOVE this idea! I am just mean and throw it away! This is much nicer!

Nicole said...

That is a GREAT idea. I can't believe how much they got this year! I usually end up throwing it all away right before the next halloween comes!

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