Different holidays have all sorts of games and traditions associated with them. First and foremost in our minds is of course…Halloween. Who doesn’t love dressing up as their favorite movie character, most powerful superhero, or that princess they’ve always dreamed of becoming and knocking on your grouchy neighbor’s door for a tasty reward? I mean, there certainly needs to be some leverage for all that hard work put into creating a costume! Personally, even a bag full of Twizzlers, Warheads, and every flavor of Tootsie Roll still doesn’t cover the blood, sweat, and tears put into last year’s costume.

And how about Easter…what a flamboyant collection of pastel colored, marshmallow textured farm animals! I’m sure even as you just think of this holiday from years past, your inner child is screaming for a Cadbury Crème filled egg.  And as I mentioned before, it’s not just about the candy – there is a certain sense of nostalgia that comes with the tradition linked with candy from each holiday.  I can remember the night before the local town park would hold its annual Easter Egg hunt. I would try to remember the exact hidden locations where I had found the plastic sealed eggs in prior years…always keeping in mind that one of them contained a prize ticket for a brand new bicycle. Of course the scattered eggs were never situated exactly as they were the year before, and I never did win that bike (crosses arms and grumbles). However, my memories of these times are extremely fond and my childhood companions all have similar sweet recollections from this time.

Well now that we are on the subject of emotions…lets really get down to business and touch on the touchiest holiday of them all. Here’s a little clue for those of you who might be a little slow…think of your local plumber wearing a diaper and faux-feather wings purchased at CVS pharmacy on clearance for $3.99; flying around, firmly grasping a fairly dangerous looking archery set. Yes, I was describing cupid and yes, I am talking about Valentine’s Day (I am sure someone else could’ve come up with a much more romantic description, but that’s all you’re getting from me on this very sarcastic day).

But seriously though, for those of you who just loooove to get all lovey-dovey, mushy-gushy…there’s nothing more romantic than coming home to some lit candles and a classic box of Elmer’s Rose Heart chocolates from your significant other. Or the charming and breathtaking surprise of opening your mailbox (or your locker) after a long day of work (or school) only to discover a secret admirer has left you a love note attached to a bag of My M&M’s Red. Melts in your mouth, not in your hand? More like melts in your heart, and consumes all your thoughts… (I am totally trademarking that slogan so don’t even think about taking it!)

To be completely honest, I would probably come up with any excuse just to eat a bulk bag of sour patch kids or a King Size Twix bar … but holidays make my sugar devouring escapades a much more honest pursuit. So let us take a moment and thank those that came before us – the few and the brave that came up with such wonderful and fun filled ideas and traditions!

Don’t play with your food.
But DEFINITELY play with your candy.
Kids are going to eat candy whether we like it or not. I guess it’s just a part of being a kid. I know I absolutely adored candy when I was little (still do, but that’s neither here nor there). Cakes and cookies (and vegetables) I could do without, but candy was my number one treat.

My kids definitely inherited my sweet tooth and always ask for a jolly rancher here or a tootsie roll there. So if they are going to eat sweets, the least I can do is try to make the situation fun and creative. Using my noodle, I gathered some great activity ideas for birthday parties, play dates, craft time… I’m not going to lie; I definitely “borrowed” some of these ideas from my girlfriends (and their husbands too of course! Credit must be given where credit is due…)

1. Make your own personalized trail mix.
Simple! You can buy an assortment of candies and nuts in bulk (I prefer to buy from candycentral.com … they have a great selection and low prices). Split the treats up into different bowls, and then package them up to your taste buds’ delight! To add a little pizzazz, get your pick of party favor baggies and different colored gift wrapping ribbon. The kids can make delectable gift bags and exchange with each other.

2. Create a sweeter, juicer, fruitier, gingerbread man! (hold the ginger and hold the bread)
If you already plan on baking some cookies, make sure to have a gingerbread man cookie cutter handy. After the little men are done baking, spread your favorite frosting flavor on the entire top surface. You can then use jelly beans, Nerds, Skittles, even pulled licorice, and any other fun colorful little candies to decorate your own gingerbread man. Fun hint: Use the licorice to make the hair!

3. Make candy jewelry.
OK…no brainer – you could always buy a bunch of those pastel colored candy necklaces already packaged up…but what’s the fun in that? I think it would be more fun to personalize each necklace (or bracelet) to each child. This is a great idea to keep the kids busy during a birthday party. Ok, here’s what you’ll need:
- Bite-size candy that comes in a variety of colors. Preferably the kind that doesn’t melt right away. I.e. Gummy Bears, jelly beans, lifesavers (they are the best because they have a pre-made hole), Dots, etc.
- Pull-n-Peel Twizzlers or just regular lanyard.
- Toothpicks and scissors.
Just use the toothpicks to poke holes in the candies and string them onto the Twizzlers (one pulled off piece at a time) or use the lanyard as the string.
The lanyard will last longer than the candy string, but in my experience, it doesn’t really matter because the candy will be eaten anyhow!

4. Go Fish with Swedish Fish!
I honestly do not want to offend any parents here by teaching their children the fun in gambling. After all, we are using candy, not money. Assuming you already know the rules to the classic card game, Go Fish, proceed to deal cards out to all the players. Every time a player is told to “Go Fish,” they must draw a card from the pool….AND a Swedish Fish from the bowl of candy. In this version of the game, everyone wins!

5. You won’t need a crystal ball to be a fortune teller…find out who’s got a crush on who using Sweethearts Candy Hearts.
When I was a little girl, we had all sorts of games to predict our “very complicated” little love lives. Remember those little origami finger fortunes? Well this is even easier to do. Ask a question or call out a name of the suitor in mind and pick from a box of Sweethearts Candy Hearts. Answers will vary from “text me” to “true love,” or “sweet dreams” and “ask me.” Interpret the messages as you like, but please remember not to take the suggestions too seriously. It is just candy after all

6. Sushi candy.
If there’s anything I enjoy as much as candy, it is sushi. So why not combine the two? My girlfriend actually served candy sushi at an adult cocktail hour … so much fun! Here are some preparation ideas: As rice, use plain white marshmallows or for a more authentic look, cut up Rice Krispies treats. Fruit roll-up makes awesome seaweed paper to bring the whole thing together, and here’s my personal pick: Swedish Fish Sea life candies as the pieces of fish! Each package has a variety of colors and they already look like seafood! Gourmet cuisine, voila!
I would suggest that the best way to go about candy crafting would be to give the kids (or adults…just bigger kids) plenty of options. Put your own spin on any of the ideas above. Just make sure to have a variety of sweet treats at home. There are plenty of online vendors that sell bulk candy. As I mentioned before, my personal favorite is www.candycentral.com.
Happy crafting y’all!