Apropos of a previous entry (see “Gifts for the ‘ol Switcheroo”) I thought you might like to read the following, contributed by Sonya Bingaman, owner of one of my favorite online boutiques, A Toy Garden.

Remember that it doesn’t matter who you invite to “recycle” your child’s candy (be it the Halloween Fairy, Great Pumpkin or Sugar Sprite), or what stories surrounding this magical moment that you tell to your child. The magic is in the telling, and in the surprise of finding something new where something else once was, and of course, in the believing.

As the weather becomes colder, the Sugar Sprite requires more sugar to keep warm than she needs in the summer months. So, on Halloween, children dress up in costumes and go to their friends’ and neighbors’ houses to collect candy for the needy sprite. Although they do sample some candy along the way while walking around in the cold night air, Sugar Sprite children place their candy at the foot of their beds (or outside the front door, etc.) before going to sleep. During the night, the friendly Sugar Sprite comes in, takes the candy and leaves a gift of thanks. The Sugar Sprite knows what all children like, but sometimes the children write letters or make pictures for the sprite about a week before Halloween so she doesn’t get confused (she has to visit a lot of children to collect enough sugar for the coming winter!)

We’re  eager to hear your stories of the Season, be they magical, entirely real or some combination of the two. E-mail us today.

Does the Sugar Sprite visit your house on Halloween night?

No?

How about the Great Pumpkin or Candy Witch?

In my house, the Halloween Fairy comes, eagerly looking for candy that she can soon turn into fairy dust. (Her magic won’t work without it.) My children are just as eager to give up their loot (leaving it on the front porch) knowing the treasures she’ll leave in its place will be way better.

What does she leave in exchange?

One or two little gifts, like autumn-themed books , an unusual game, or perhaps tickets to the local children’s theater. Our Fairy also likes to add a personal touch with homemade treats like pumpkin muffins.

If your family would like to invite the Halloween Fairy/Sprite/Pumpkin/Witch to your home (and they do need to be invited), you may want to have a chat with them about what goodies you’d like to see swapped.

Here are a few of our favorites (in addition to anything handmade or gently used):

• Sewing apple
• Autumn felted doll
• The Apple Cake book
• Mushroom backpack
• Candy Corn & Bat “Juicy Bugs”
• Mushroom coat rack
• Branch treasure box
• Felted walnut babies
• Wooden forest animals

Magic Cabin also has a huge selection of wonderful Halloween and fall themed gifts for children of all ages. My children love their Halloween tea-set, nesting cats, and fall fairies.