I recently learned that there’s quite an online debate over the Switch Witch.
In case you haven’t heard of the Switch Witch, let me give you a little background. On Halloween, you go trick or treating, then you leave your candy out for the Switch Witch. She will take your candy but switch it out for a gift. Who knew that such a small, insignificant tradition would illicit such strong feelings on both sides?!
The pro-Switch Witch arguments include:
- kids don’t need all of that candy
- keeps the Halloween fun going
- gift makes it easier for kids to give up the candy
The anti-Switch Witch arguments include:
- kids don’t need another gift
- why do they need to be bribed to give up their candy (“be the parent and just take it away”)
- it’s once a year, let them eat the candy
Personally, I have been doing the Switch Witch tradition long before I ever even knew she existed. I told my kids they could choose the number of pieces of candy they are old (5 years old = 5 pieces of candy) and then leave the rest out for the Halloween fairy. Admittedly, Switch Witch has a nicer ring to it…but alas, the idea was the same. Since my kids went to bed before trick-or-treating was done, I just gave out the candy they were switching to the trick-or-treaters that came later in the evening. The gift would always be a new toothbrush, toothpaste, and some small toy I picked up in the dollar section at Target (back when things used to actually cost $1…). It was so simple and they looked forward to the Halloween fairy just as much as they looked forward to Halloween.
In hindsight, I get I could’ve just “been the parent” and told them to give up their candy. Honestly, they would’ve happily obeyed. I probably could’ve just let them eat all that candy or hoard it for months to come before I made it disappear in the trash can while they were at school. I understand that I had plenty of options. But even in reflecting back, I must say, I’m still pro-Switch Witch or Halloween Fairy or whatever you’d like to call it. Why? They are only little for a little while. If I can sprinkle in a little extra magic to make the evening last a little bit longer and give them a little something more to look forward to, why wouldn’t I? In the same breath, I also say, if you’re anti-Switch Witch, you’ll get no judgment from me! I always say, “Make the decision that works best for you and your family.”
Dare I ask? Are you pro- or are you anti-Switch Witch?
