I have to start by saying that things have been a little confusing around the studio. While we are blogging about Christmas gift ideas, we are also getting ready to celebrate Halloween. Just when I am trying to get into the Christmas groove, I am also thinking about pumpkins and costumes and all things Halloween.
And the
n it dawned on me… I really didn’t need to be so divided. Christmas and Halloween do have something in common…. Candy! (mmmmmm!!!)
Whether it is candy kisses, mini bars or packages of those (awful) candy corns, just ask any kid tomorrow night – candy is the reason for the season! (But then again, I think that candy is a pretty big part of Christmas too).
For this reason, I have put together a few ideas for Christmas gift giving idea #5 – Halloween Revisited. (And as a side note, I was watching a little of The View yesterday and they were talking about parents having a spare stash of ‘safe’ candy for their kids, which is a really awesome idea, but it also means that you will have a lot of extra candy around the house. For all you doing this, these ideas are especially for you!)
If you have a lot of spare candy (stuff you know it is safe to eat) why not try a Leftover Halloween Candy Cake? (This recipe looks good, but I would go one step further and use leftover hard candy and licorice to decorate the top and sides of the cake… especially in holiday themes and take this piece of art as a hostess gift this Christmas season.)
Again, if you have leftover ‘safe’ candy, think ahead to the month of December and make an advent calendar. I have three ideas to share here – For a quick family idea, check out CleverParents.com. Find another easy and unique family friendly Halloween candy advent calendar at Alpha+Mom. Or grab some red and green felt to make colourful christmas pockets. Number them, attach them to a fabric or paper backing and post it on the fridge. Whatever way you decide to do this, a Halloween inspired advent calendar will make a great (and sweet) holiday gift!
Okay – but what if you have all sorts of leftover candy that you don’t like or aren’t sure you want your kids (or yourself) to eat? Don’t throw it out!!! This is a treasure trove of Christmas decorating goods. Grab some glue and turn that sweet stuff into this year’s ornaments. Glue hard candy to unfinished wood frames and finish with varnish for a nifty picture frame; use straight pins and your glue gun to attach hard candy and ribbon to a styrofoam wreath form for a gorgeous Christmas wreath (don’t forget to varnish!); or grab a small shadow box frame and mount one piece of candy in the centre as a great piece of wall art (or a wrapper in a flat frame) to celebrate all things sweet this season.
