The Switch Witch

Halloween is usually a fun filled holiday for children and adults alike. I mean, who doesn't enjoy dressing up in a crazy costume and getting free candy from all of your neighbors?! I have so many wonderful memories of trick-or-treating as a child. Back then we either made our costumes or we bought the cheap plastic costumes from Venture or Kmart. I fondly remember my homemade costumes like a black witch, Little Bo Peep and a clown. Best of all was coming home from a night of trick-or-treating, dumping out my loot and binging on sugary treats. Personally, I liked to sort out my candies into specific group. Chocolates like peanut butter cups, kisses, Twix, etc. were in the favorite pile. Next was the "OK" candy pile that consisted of treats like Skittles, Star Burst and Now & Laters. The crap pile was full of, well crap, like Raisinets, Smarties and Bit-o-Honey. The crap candy was always thrown away, the OK candy pile was placed in a bowl in the kitchen and the favorites were stashed in my room so I could gorge on them as I liked. I never once questioned whether scarfing down that Kit Kat or smuggling a Snickers would affect my health. I happily gobble away on sweets until my stomach ached and bounced off the wall on a sugar induced high. God, I loved Halloween!!

Fast forward to many, many years later. I am now the mom of a child with severe food allergies. Just one bite of an allergen can make my son very, very sick. Just one bite of an allergen can swell up his throat making breathing next to impossible. Just one bite can literally mean a matter of life and death. Trick or treating is still fun, but coming home to check out our loot is a totally different experience for Bryan and I. Instead of the favorite/OK/crap piles of treats, we have the safe/unsafe pile. Brennan must wait as Bryan and I carefully scour each and every label. Candies without an ingredient label are deemed unsafe. Treats that contain peanuts/tree nuts or are made in a facility with peanuts/tree nuts are totally out of the question. Most chocolates like Kit Kat and Twix are not safe. He is usually able to safely eat candies like Skittles, Start Burst and Nerds. While I am grateful he can at least enjoy those goodies, it is hard to watch his little face as I take all that candy away.

Thank goodness for the Switch Witch! Brennan places all of the unsafe candy in a bag and leaves it on the kitchen table. When he is fast asleep the Switch Witch comes in and takes all of that unsafe candy far away from our house (The candy usually finds its way to Bryan's work). In its place she leaves fun, safe goodies like pencils, fruit snacks, gummy worms, Rice Krispie treats and tattoos. Not only does Brennan get to celebrate Halloween, but he gets a bonus surprise from our beloved Switch Witch! Not many kids can say they have a super cool, super safe witch visit their house on Halloween!

For those of you reading who celebrate Halloween, please consider purchasing some safe treats so ALL trick-or-treaters can enjoy the fun and magic of Halloween. Pencils, fruit snacks, tattoos, Utz brand pretzels, individual baggies of Teddy Grahams or Oreos, Rice Krispie treats and even small containers of Play-doh are safe alternatives for kiddos with nut allergies. I always purchase Utz brand Halloween pretzels or fruit snacks as well as a non-food item like pencils. I do not ever want a child to miss out on the fun and excitement of being a kid on Halloween. This food allergy mom thanks you for considering this idea!