Hi All,

We're getting ready to send our first box, and the kids want to send Halloween candy to our contact in Afghanistan.

Is it okay to send? Will chocolate melt? Can I add a few decorations or Halloween items like funny pencils?

Thanks for the advice.

Thea

I just finished my Halloween goody bags they are being sent Monday. Chocolate should be fine. I send it in my bags. I bought  mini Halloween puzzles too. Anything fun to lift their spirits, so go for it..add all you think will brighten their day

Pam

I just sent a contact 30 halloween goody bags, and tons of decorations, He said he was having the biggest Halloween party he could get together. I didnt put chocolate in the bags but lots of other stuff.

Did you go ahead and fill the treat bags yourself?  I havent decided if we'd go ahead and fix up the bags OR include bags with the 8 bags of candy and let them put what they want in their bags.  I do have some chocolate but I'm putting them in a ziploc bag just in case it melts, it wont get all over everything else.  I need to decide today though since I'm hoping to have these in the mail Monday.

Amelia

Amelia, yes I did my own goody bags. I just bought the cello bags(Halloween theme) and then bags of different individually wrapped candy..M&M's Snickers Whoppers , you get the pictre. Then I filled each cello bag and tied em up. I also included big bags of candy corn for the whole group to share as well as individually wrapped popcorn balls.

Hope this helps, happy packing

Pam

I also like to stuff the bags myself. Halloween is one of my favorite holiday. I love the candy. I think it is fun to stuff the bags. Plus then when they open the box it has all of these fun bags full of candy that they can pass out. Also they may not have the time to stuff the bags themselves. If they don't like some of the candy they get they can trade with someone else.

 You will have one extra day to think about it and decide. The Post Office is closed on Monday. It is Columbus Day. My Halloween packages are going to be mailed on Wed. I don't want to go to the PO on Tues because they will be extra busy since they are not open on Mon.

 I did send chocolate. I am a chocolate lover and I know that even if it was melted I would lick it off of the wrapper!

Can't go wrong with M-n-Ms and Reese's Pieces if you're unsure about chocolate surviving the weather.  Tootsie Rolls, Riesen, caramels, anything a little firmer.... I'm a chocolate lover, but have noticed that Swedish Fish, Sour stuff, Laffy Taffy, etc get requested a lot too.

By the way, does anyone actually eat Candy Corn?   Or is it kinda like fruitcake?  LOL

cj/

I found a plastic witch's cauldron ($3 at Party City, but later saw some at Dollar Tree) and packed it full of individually sealed candy and packed more candy around it. It was just the height of the large FRB. I envision it sitting on the chaplain's desk where people could grab a handfull, but who knows what will actually happen. I did send some chocolate in the mix.

Mellie

ok, we went ahead and filled the bags.  barely had room to close the box up! 

candy corn....i know alot of people who like it.  i know my dad LOVES it!  not too big on the fruitcake!  lol

amelia

OK, my MIL LOVES fruitcake!!  I even attempted making one once, only once.

I found a preloaded cauldron filled with gummy ghoulies, but wrapped and boxed.  It is rather compact right now, great for packing.  All they have to do is unwrap and voila, a bowl!  Thought it was cool enough to get on for my kids from Dollar General.  I also picked up some orange lights (like Christmas lights) some spider webs and spider rings to put on them to decorate.  I got these little mini plastic pumpkins that light up and blink since they can't carve their own.  The kids loved them! 

I just picked up some bags of chocolate.  I am counting on it being cool enough in the mountains now to send it. (fingers crossed).  The boys in hotter areas will be getting gummies and Tootsie rolls-I used to work there so I have a soft spot for the company LOL. 

Since space is so limited for some of my guys, I kept it at a minimum, but I sure hope they get the fall/halloween flavor-no pun intended...

I love the cauldron idea!!  Wish I'd read this thread earlier.  Oops! Too late! Have to remember it for next year.

But last spring I finally got around to knitting socks -started a pair in burnt orange - another Oops! Hugely too big!  So I have one orange sock way too big to wear but just right to fill with Halloween candy for one of my contacts - so it is going as a "Halloween Stocking" full of Halloween goodies to hang up on the "mantel" till they get their Christmas stockings the end of this month.

Maybe I could sent the cauldrons as Santa's stew pot or something like that:).  Or reindeer bowls:) with candy corn as reindeer kibble.Oops - time to quit the caffienne this morning.

Happy Columbus Day everyone:):)

(this is from an email i sent to a supporter):

There is no specific policy on this by Any Soldier Inc. but we DO plead that you really think about what you are doing.

Hi Marty,

To clarify your message, I'm guessing that the topic of your email was sending leftover Halloween candy? And that you are not opposed to sending 'junk food' in general. It seems like most of us were planning in advance of the holiday, sending new prepackaged candy, and hoping it got to the troops in time to celebrate Halloween.

Just checking,

Thea

I am guessing this is referring to "loose candy" and not to goodie bags? Loose candy being unwrapped like candy corn? Every type of candy that I have sent has been factory wrapped. Dont want to cause any issue with the troops. 

You are correct.  They will get boatloads of junk loose candy, some even partially eaten!