Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Philadelphia, PA

Friday night was technically my daughter's third Halloween experience. Her first Halloween was spent in the stroller, dressed as Tigger (she did not collect candy); her second, walking a bit while dressed as a Hershey's Kiss.

This year, she was a ladybug princess (but without a hat; she wouldn't wear the hat), although for some reason she decided she was actually a kitty cat; this fact confused our neighbors considerably.

This was the first year she GOT it. She knocked on doors, she announced "Trick or treat!" at top volume, and she said, "Thank you!" after each person gave her a treat. We only went to the homes of our neighbors on about two blocks (after all, how much candy does a two year old need?), and when we were on our own porch she gleefully handed out candy to the other kids (by the way, having a toddler hand out the candy stops any griping from older kids about what the candy is or how much there is-- good to know).

Sadly, she woke up the next morning demanding to go trick or treating again. And she wanted that candy.

Sigh.

We donated our leftover candy and most of my daughter's candy to our church. But she now officially has a sweet tooth and is clamoring to get dressed up and hit the streets again. So now I'm finding myself wondering; why do we do this again?

How do you cope with the aftermath of Halloween?