glow sticks

I think it is funny that my mother speaks of this "candy inspection." Most of MY Halloween candy ended up being eaten by my mother, my father, and occasionally our dog, (2 GIANT chocolate bars and she survived). In their defense, I don't really like candy so most of the transfer was voluntary (not for the dog).

Here is my take on my mom's Halloween treats: genius. I've never had the privilege of receiving something as excellent as a donut while trick-or-treating due to certain "poison hazards," but Cracker Jacks are a wonderful alternative. There is a certain moment in the post-October candy coma where such snacks are not only welcomed but actually needed to balance out the sticky, highly concentrated sugar of Bottle Caps and Hershey's and Snickers. Not to say that these products are any less bad for you--but they last a bit longer. In addition, something as voluminous as a six-pack of Oreo's has a lot of pull once the candy trading festivities begin.

There is the argument that the treats are all bad, especially with epidemics of diet-related diseases among the youth these days. Even though I have my weaknesses, in a perfect world, I wouldn't eat anything packaged, processed, or pre-cooked ("fake food"). For those of you who feel similarly, consider this: glow sticks. when you are an 8-year old ghost/doctor/monster/Harry Potter, the only thing better than candy is a magical stick or bracelet to light your way and enhance your dress(this also applies to 19-year-old college students). Glow sticks also make the little ones more visible to the grown ups (and the college friends who "wander" more visible to their "mothers").