Usually I'm pretty amped up for post holiday candy sales, but there is just something about Halloween that is killing my enthusiasm. I think it boils down to two distinct problems.

The first problem is the month leading up to Halloween. I've talked to people every year who have a very particular problem, which I in part share. The first week of October one sees the Halloween candy display and grabs some so they'll be ready in advance (or so they'll claim). And a week later one finds themselves needing to replace that first bag that has inexplicably disappeared. And it continues right up until the bags they buy a day or two in advance of the actual holiday. And then there's leftovers. One has to make sure that they have enough candy for all the trick-or-treaters so they bought a lot. And what luck! They didn't hand it all out. By this point one has been eating Halloween candy for a solid month. And the sale on November first? It just seems to lose a little of it's appeal.

Not that it has that much appeal in the first place beyond the savings they represent. The second problem is the approach to Halloween candy. If you wander the Halloween candy aisle you'll notice that it is dominated by all of the same candies as the normal candy aisle. They may get dressed up for the holiday with special packaging or a different shape, but they are mostly just the normal candies in disguise. The gummy-type candies get some extra flair to them (like gummy rats filled with some blood-like syrupy stuff - I don't know if they really make them, but it's just to get the idea across - and if they don't make them they should - that would be a really cool Halloween candy - heck, you can do all sorts of nasty creepy crawlers with different color and consistency goo inside - but I digress - hoo, do I ever digress), but the chocolate candy generally gets a different wrapper (I won't say new since there is probably a lot of design recycling going on). The most exciting chocolaty thing you get in the Halloween goodies is some Peep's Cocoa Cat action and a few caramel marshmallow pumpkins or such (or scary stuff like the Candy Corn Hershey's Kisses - terrifying!). It's doesn't seem like there is enough excitement in the lineup. There will be some new limited editions out in time for Christmas, but Halloween doesn't seem to get the love. It just provides little to be pique my interest.

But if you still have the enthusiasm for it then get out there and hit those sales. They're already doing 75% off at the places I've been - they really want to get their Christmas stuff out. If you get lucky you may just find places where their Thanksgiving stuff (a sadly non-chocolaty holiday) is on sale already as well (I bought something today for half-off and felt horrible guilty for doing so - I was going to buy it anyway and I like the place I bought it and hate to accept the sale price from them - but these days I'm not sure I want to go looking these gift horses in their respective mouths). Anyway, the deals are out there if you are of a mind to take advantage, so go forth and shop! Or not.