When will the in-your-face candy crunch end? I can’t take it anymore!
According to an article in The Altantic this week, in the early 1940’s Brach’s began promoting their fare during the last week of October but didn’t even mention Halloween, and that was it for candy marketing. Fast forward seventy years and I believe I saw the onslaught of jumbo bags hit supermarket scenes by mid-September. The resolve to resist that deluge has been a mean feat. Candy retailers know what they are doing. Just think of how many times you and I had to pass the multitude of displays over the last five weeks.
Every time you catch even a glimpse of those shiny, happy packages you are confronted with a decision to buy or not; then to eat or not. When I say confronted, I mean it, accosted even. In defense, I’ve started to picture an angel-like person smacking my hand if I so much as twitch in the direction of a package. I picture the saintly creature spinning me around to face him, his hands on my shoulders, he shakes me with a shout, “Snap out of it woman!” He might even give me a little Carol-Burnett-and-Friends fake slap or two. The fantasy has held me at steady. Hey, don’t judge… Whatever works! And I mean that, too.
Honestly, if you succumbed to the marketing savvy, it’s okay but let’s not pretend it was in the interest of being efficient or prepared for the big night. If you bought, chances are you ate, which again is okay because you were in the no-win zone. Halloween is the biggest commercial holiday of the year raking in $2.6 billion for retailers.
The Atlantic also points out that the California Milk Processors Board (the “got milk?” folks) have determined the following: “an average Jack-O-Lantern bucket carries about 250 pieces of candy amounting to about 9,000 calories and about three pounds of sugar.” Though they don’t seem to mention how they’ve figured this out, the point is in the idea of excess, especially compared to decades prior. We buy because we can, and we eat because it’s there. We will potentially consume 24 pounds of candy throughout the year. The average kid will gain 2.2 lbs of excess body weight as a result of the 9,000 calories in the Halloween bucket alone.
Sugar in itself and in cherished moderation can be a great joy. It is excess that crushes the psyche, the soul, the wallet, and the waistline — not to mention the insulin and the free radicals. Yeah you heard me, antioxidants get clobbered by sugar. Take coffee for instance… Coffee was once considered bad for us but we now know it was the sugar and heavy cream (saturated fats), and not the actual java. Coffee is full of antioxidants — chock full — but sugar wipes them out.
So what can be done? Well, resolve is a lofty goal. I chose that goal when my angst peaked at the first sight of candy displays before I’d dusted off Labor Day. I also like a principal-based challenge. That isn’t to say I haven’t made poor food choices in other ways in the meantime, but I have stuck to my principals on Halloween candy to date (with the help of the imaginary slaps). Since you may not feel the grudge I currently host against retailers, I’d like to suggest focusing on what really matters about Halloween and its history — reclaiming what’s been lost in the commercialization.
Halloween has long been a celebration of the harvest (the abundance of life) and of honoring our loved ones. It marks the close of Fall and the transition to colder, shorter days; signaling a time to plan carefully for winter. With religion playing a large role in the holiday throughout history, from the ancient Celts 2000 years ago, to the Romans, to the Pope, and on to the agnostics of the 20th century, Halloween was always a time to honor those who have passed, to celebrate life and community together. The day after, All Souls Day, was, and in some cases remains, a day to celebrate saints, heroes, and the courageous. Finally, with respect to the harvest, Halloween was a good time to celebrate the sweets given to us by fruit trees. After all, an apple a day…
So while you’re warding off the evil spirits of “sugar over-dosage,” try distracting your mind toward a little mischief-making with neighbors and friends, share a good story or two, and maybe pay a little homage to those you admire. Having good role models is also a great way to support your efforts to live a healthy life. Who do you know who has shown great courage in the past year? Give them a call and thank them. Then set your resolve to strive for similar courage in your healthy habits.
What are you wanting most for yourself and your family on this ancient Fall holiday? Let us know and tell us how it goes.
Happy Halloween! Whooooo ha ha ha.