Trick or Treat & Loose Leaf Tea

Last week, Jeff Larson, our local fitness superhero, reminded us to show up for this year's Halloween Charity Boot Camp( in costume with a heavy pumpkin) for an intensive battle of the bulge workout. Jeff cautioned us about our sugar intake this time of year; he recently read that people consume an average of 26lbs of candy from Halloween until the end of the year. I was shocked. I love candy, same as the next person, but twenty-six pounds of it seems a bit excessive.

My subconscious tickled my memory and reminded me of the seventeen bags of candy the Tea Drinker and I purchase each year for the biggest night in our neighborhood—Halloween. Our street is lit up like a cemetery festival, while scary, greedy little kiddies and their parents descend into the neighborhood, ringing doorbells and yelling "trick or treat". One year, a neighbor of ours actually counted 1, 000 little munchkins. No kidding. Hence, seventeen bags of candy are needed to fend off toilet paper and egg yolks. Of course, we naturally tend to purchase these goods the week before (first mistake), and end up knocking down at least one or two bags before the big day. Then, on the night of, as our doorbell rings incessantly, both of us start stowing away our favorites(second mistake). It's was becoming clear to me why we needed to avoid going down the "26 pounds of candy" road.

This year, we were "dark". Lights off, no decorations, no candy. We planned date night in downtown Napa, and enjoyed dinner at one of our favorite haunts, Angele. Before heading out to dinner(under cloak and cover) we stopped at our neighbor's house to give candy to their two children. They are adorable kids and we did not want to deny them of their treat. True, they are probably too young to hold a grudge, but we were attempting to ward off the day when they were older and looked back on the year we starved them of their sugar rights. Paybacks can be hell.

Mysteriously, a bag of candy appeared in our home last week. I kidded the Tea Drinker about his decision to buy a whole bag, when we only needed two candy bars for the neighbor's children. We debated back and forth, as candy wrappers stacked up before us. I suggested next Halloween that we hand out gifts of Drink the Leaf loose tea( a flavorful herbal rooibos, suitable for children), instead of candy. Hey, at least its not a toothbrush! This idea came to me while sipping a bold Pu-erh and enjoying a Twix candy bar. A delicious pairing. Okay, I give in. Please continue to buy and enjoy sweets, but I urge you to control yourself. Also, remember to exercise, and move your body during the holiday season. Twenty six pounds of candy is absurd.

** Photo by Tiffany Larson, Napa Valley Adventure Boot Camp