My No-Tears Solution for Eliminating Candy

Candy, Candy, Candy.  It seems to just appear out of nowhere all the time when you have kids.  Birthday parties, school parties, holiday parties, and especially Halloween!  So how do you get rid of all that extra candy without inducing mass hysteria?  Easy–call in…The Candy Fairy!

No-Tears solution for eliminating candy

We love fairies at our house.  We have the Tooth Fairy, the Sleeping Fairy, and even the Candy Fairy!  Yes, a candy fairy.  No, she doesn’t deliver candy.  She comes and takes it all away! She’s a parent’s (and dentist’s) best friend, and my girls just love her!

We discovered the Candy Fairy a couple year’s ago, when my daughters were 18 months and 3 1/2.  I had decided to let them go trick-or-treating for the first time.  I was a little nervous thinking about the tons of candy they were going to receive, particularly the really sticky kind.  They were soo little, barely old enough for soft candy let alone the sticky, gooey, cavity-creating kind.  I wanted them to experience the fun of dressing up and trick or treating, but I was worried about all the candy, especially a sticky situation of not letting them eat it.  “Here girls, want some candy? Ha! Just kidding.”  I knew I’d be faced with two Mini-Teresa’s (Ala Real Housewives of NJ) exploding because Mommy took away their candy.

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Then I remembered something my wise friend, Karen, had told me–Karen, experienced mom of a 7 year old, had lots of tricks up her sleeve–including…….drum roll please….The Candy Fairy!

Who is the Candy Fairy?

Following the same premise as the Tooth Fairy, the Candy Fairy visits in the middle of night collecting any candy you leave out for her.  She then leaves behind a wonderful prize, usually something super fun from the Dollar Tree or Target’s dollar section.  And if it’s a really big haul, she might leave an even bigger prize.  Or if it’s just one small piece of candy, then she might just leave some stickers.  She’s pretty flexible and will agree to whatever arrangement you (the parents) set-up.

How do I implement the Candy Fairy system?

First things first:  CREATE EXCITEMENT!

Before that first Halloween, I got my girls very excited about a possible visit from…The Candy Fairy!  They were almost more excited about a fairy coming to our house than trick-or-treating.  After trick-or-treating, we reviewed their haul.

Make Decisions Together

Together, we separated out all the regular candy (chocolate, lollipops, smarties, ring pops, etc) from the really sticky, gooey stuff that I was worried would cause instant cavities (gummy candy, caramel candy, taffy candy).  I explained my strategy to my girls, and they understood because what little kid wants a painful boo-boo in their teeth–or worse–who wants to lose their teeth early and look like a Halloween monster!

Creating buy-in and understanding is important for long-term success.  Two years later, my daughters still understand that there are certain kinds of candy that are more harmful than others and they automatically give it to me.

The Candy Fairy Visit!

We took all the sticky stuff and left it out for the Candy Fairy.  Then the next morning, my girls ran to the kitchen to see if she had come. Yes, she came!!! They were over-the-moon excited that a new fairy had visited and left them a fun prize.

I seriously cannot tell you how well this has worked for our family.  The Candy Fairy visits us all year round and my girls get very excited about being able to leave candy out for her.  Maybe this is unusual (kids voluntarily giving up candy), I don’t know. But it certainly works for us, and I highly recommend it!  No-tears, no screams, just joy!

What to do with the extra candy?

So, what does the Candy Fairy do with all that candy?  Well, she takes it to places where people don’t have candy…Or she might just happen to throw it away in the trash…hard to know….or she might eat a few pieces herself, but if there’s no chocolate involved, then it’s probably going straight to the trash…she does, after all, have to keep her fairy figure.

Does the Candy Fairy come to your house?  What do you do with your leftover candy?  Share your tips and tricks in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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HI! I’m a Shana, self-proclaimed Media Mixologist, wife, and mom to two little girls. I love to mix up cocktails of crafts, recipes, wellness, family and business with just the right amount of sparkle to help you shine everyday. So, grab a glass, and let’s celebrate the cocktail of life!