From: judy@locus.com (Judy Leedom Tyrer)
Subject: Re: Halloween ideas needed (22 mo.)
Organization: Locus Computing Corporation, Los Angeles, California
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 1992 21:26:28 GMT

In article <2226@ncr-mpd.FtCollins.NCR.COM> chrisw@chopin.FtCollins.NCR.com (Chris Whitley) writes:
>This Halloween my daughter will be 22 months old.  This
>is old enough to really enjoy most traditional Halloween
>festivities, but not old enough to eat most Halloween
>candy.  My thought is that most Halloween candy is
>too hard or too chewy for the limited eating capabilities
>of a 22 month old...i.e. it poses a choking hazard.
> 
>Actually, I can't decide if it would be worth the
>potential trauma of taking away most or all of any
>loot she would get trick or treating to have the
>fun I know she would have trick or treating.  You
>can't really explain that sort of thing to a not-yet
>2-yo's satisfaction!  Any experiences to share?

I see two choices here:

	Sneak the offending items from her bag so she doesn't notice (lots
	of people give out small toys anyway).

	Begin what could become a valuable Halloween tradition of a parent
	going through the contents of the bag and removing objectionable
	items (like home-baked goods that come from a house you don't know).

I'd vote for the latter since the same problem will hit at age 9 as at age
2.  There could be something in the bag that should be checked (check apples
for razor blades and needles, for example).  That's just part of the Halloween
tradition.  
> 
>Even if she doesn't go trick or treating, I know
>she would enjoy answering the door for the 75 or so
>trick or treaters we usually get.  I will try letting
>her hand out the treats.  But of course, to maximize
>this enjoyment and avoid significant argument, she
>must be able to EAT the treats we hand out.  This means
>nothing to choke on, and I'm a bit leary of pure milk
>chocolate at her age...  she has only had limited
>quantities in the past, in the form of an occasional
>choc. chip cooky.  The only treat I can come up with
>that fills this bill is granola bars. I don't want to
>give out anything too boring or healthy, either (for
>example raisins just wouldn't have worked for ME as a
>kid).  And you can't give out a homemade treat (i.e.
>oatmeal cookies) because it isn't hermetically sealed.
>Any ideas for fun treats for all ages?

Let me suggest "The Oreintal Trading Company".  I have their catalogue
perched on my desk as I'm going to order from them today.  Their phone
number is (800) 228-2269.  For example, we're ordering a gross (144 pieces)
of bat, ghost, and pumpkin shaped erasers for $3.25.  Tubes of plastic
ghosts, spiders, bat and pumpkin shaped "glitter" to just throw in with
some candy bars.  These are $1.25 per 3 inch tube.  And ghost, bat and
pumpkin finger puppets at $3.95 for 6 dozen finger puppets.

They also have some more expensive items if you're having a Halloween party.
In particular, I recommend those glow in the dark necklaces/ropes/bracelets
that they sell at amusement parks and other places at night.  These are
too expensive to hand out, but cheaper than the amusement parks.  You can
order 50 of them for $47.50 or in smaller packages of 2/pkg for $1.95 a
package.  We use them because kids are much easier to see at night when
wearing them.  Our park has a carnival and we like to be able to find our
kids.  

For those who haven't found this catalogue, it is also a money saver for
birthday party treats, decorations, etc.  I highly recommend getting on 
their mailing list.  This is our first order, but a friend uses them
regularly for her birthday parties and the toys are fine.
> 
>Also, what kind of costume can you keep on a kid
>who, of course, would really enjoy doing who-knows-what
>other-than-wearing to anything that could be pryed
>off their body?  For example, my guess is that a funny
>hat would immediately be taken off and tried on all the
>teddy bears, and then I'd be asked to put it back on
>"right", and then she'd take it off again, and probably
>sit on it, and...you have the idea.  Easy, cute,
>practical costume ideas would be welcome.
>(Warning - I don't own a sewing machine, although I
>am quite willing to do limited sewing with a needle
>and thread.)
> 

I have found that young children do not like face masks.  They will tear
them off.  Costumes that involve toys are really good.  For example, this
year Mitchell wants to go as Batman (what else) and we got Erin a cat woman
costume to go with his (getting old and worn out) Batman costume.  Erin isn't
too big on the clothing part (nudist, you know), but she LOVES the long
fingernails that come with the costume.  In fact, so do I.  I put them on
and chase the kids around pretending to try and scratch them.  Great fun!

Last year we got Babs and Buster bunny costumes for the kids.  Mitchell chose
to go as a pirate instead (sigh) so Erin can go as Buster bunny next year.
The good part about these were that the clothing part went right over their
pajamas so there was no itchy polyseter.  And the hat tied on so Erin didn't
try to take it off.  The reason Mitchell preferred the pirate was because
he wore a sword and there was no toy that went with Buster.

>Finally, we will be having a Halloween party for 5
>of her same-age friends (early in the day).  I was
>thinking of party favor ideas, and remembered a few
>years ago when (a now moved-away) friend painted
>small pumpkins and shellaced them shiny with something
>so that they kept 6 months or so.  Only I don't know
>what she painted or shellaced them with (and was it
>safe for kids I wonder).  Anybody ever do this and
>if so, care to share the how-to's with me?
>

Here I would recommend the all time favorite - STICKERS!  Get some bags for
the kids to use for their trick-or-treating.  Buy a bunch of stickers, maybe
some rubber stamps or something, and of course markers and let the kids
decorate their own bags.  
-- 
Judy Leedom Tyrer

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"	- William Blake