After Halloween: tips for cleanup, candy disposal, discounts

If you're like me, the day after Halloween is best spent on the couch with a cup of coffee and a good book. But if you can scrape together a little more energy for some post-Halloween cleanup, you'll feel better about those mini-Snickers bars you ate this morning.

Here are some tips we've collected for storing the Halloween gear and using up the candy:

• Store the Halloween books with the decorations
• Storing vinyl cling decorations
• Expand the dress-up wardrobe with discounted Halloween costumes
• How do you dole out the Halloween candy?
• Halloween Fairy swaps candy for toys
• Buy your kid's Halloween candy
• Use excess Halloween candy as cookie ingredients
• Save leftover candy for holiday gingerbread houses
• Still got Halloween candy lying around? Give it to the "goblins."
• More ideas for using up the Halloween candy

And today's the day to grab deals at local stores on discounted Halloween supplies. Choose good-quality stuff you'll use over and over, such as books, costumes, and decorations.

Got an after-Halloween tip not listed here? Pass it along -- in the comments, or via email, Twitter, or Facebook -- and I'll post it this week. After I finish my coffee.

Comments

[Tracy]

We give left over candy our church for holiday goodie bags and also to our local girl scout/ boy scout troops to throw out at our local holiday parades.

[BethB]

DON'T BELIEVE THE LIE THAT YOU CAN COOK YOUR JACK-O-LANTERN. Most pumpkins are edible, some are just better for eating than others. The typical "jack-o-lantern" or carving pumpkins tend to have little flesh for the size and are very stringy and flavorless.

Never try to cook a pumpkin you carved for Halloween.

How often do you take produce out of your fridge, cut it open, set it on the front porch for a week, share a bite with the neighborhood squirrels, burn a candle in it, then take it in to cook?

If you are looking for tips on how to use that "decorative" pumpkin that has NOT been carved and IS edible, check out this post:http://expatriateskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/10/more-pumpkins.html

And how to make your own pumpkin puree for Thanksgiving:
http://expatriateskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/10/pumpkins-everywhere-not-one-to-eat.html

[Maegan]

Also, find a local USO or VFW post, and offer to donate the candy to deployed soldiers. They just like anything from home. :)

[adrienne]

My son loves Halloween-style shirts (skeletons, bats, spiders, aliens, etc.) and wears them year-round if they don't say Happy Halloween. I may have to hit the clearance racks today to see if I can find any gems for his wardrobe.

[Janice]

I went out this morning for the non-candy treats - found popcorn, Pirate Booty, and granola bars in Halloween packages for half off. My diaper bag will be well-stocked with snacks for the rest of the year!
Just realized I forgot to get the Halloween mac & cheese...oh, well!

[Melanie Wilson]

My sister-in-law is a missionary who takes much of our kids' candy to Africa with her each year. When there's too much to give to her, "Africa" becomes a euphemism for the trash. :-) Great tips!

[replica watches]

Very good brief and this post helped me alot. Say thank you I searching for your facts.

[donate books]

Very useful info. Hope to see more posts soon!