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Putting Easter Candy to Work as a Centerpiece (Giveaway!)

March 4, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 107 Comments

I received product from HERSHEY’S and a stipend from Global Influence for this post. All thoughts and opinions listed here are my own, as always.

I don’t know about you, but my 4-year-old started asking for us to decorate for Easter the day after Valentine’s Day. I gently reminded her that she was forgetting St. Patrick’s Day, and all things green and gold. That appeased her until last week, when she INSISTED that we start putting some bunnies out on display.

For some moms, the thought of decorating for each season puts a twinkle in their eyes, and a spring in their step. Crafts and all things creative all their element.

Not so for me. I never really decorated much for any season except for Christmas before I had kids, but seeing how excited they get about putting out knick knacks leaves me feeling as though I should be doing SOMETHING. But after just 5 minutes on Pinterest searching for Easter crafts, I start to feel overwhelmed and WAY out of my comfort zone.

But you know what? It really doesn’t have to be that way! HERSHEY’S recently sent me some of their Easter candy options, and it occurred to me that I could do some very practical decorating, by making use of some of the candy I would be buying, anyway for Easter baskets. Instead of spending a ton of money on craft supplies that might or might not get used, and that will definitely cause me stress and anxiety, I could just buy candy. Buying in a bulk is a great way to make your dollars stretch even further.

Sounds like a plan!

So here’s how I created a cute centerpiece just by using the candy I would have already purchased, plus $3 in other supplies. I went to the Dollar Tree and spent $2 on 2 bags of the grass that looks more like paper than plastic. I only had to buy 2 bags because each bag came with 3 different colors, and I only wanted to use green. So if you’d like to use more than 1 color, you’ll probably only need 1 bag. I also spent $1 on a bunny figurine to stick in the middle of the display. And I had a pretty wooden bowl on hand, already. You could use any sort of tray to make this display, or you could even create it on a mantel or shelf without a container.

All of the candy you see came from bags that I would have purchased anyway for filling Easter baskets. This idea can put some of it to use ahead of time, and the candy you don’t use for the display can just get tucked away in your closet until the Easter bunny needs it!

After I placed the grass in the container, I added JOLLY RANCHER Hard Candy lollipops. They have a bag with an Easter theme, and I picked out the Easter egg designs to go in the back.

Then I placed the CADBURY Mini Eggs along the front, as well as a Cadbury Egg, as if it were hidden in the grass.

I took the larger WHOPPERS ROBIN EGGS and put one on each side of the display, made to look like little bird nests. So cute!

Finally, I sprinkled some HERSHEY’S KISSES Milk Chocolates around the area where the bunny was doing his watering. I thought it was cute to make it look like he was growing an Easter candy garden.

So there you have it: a very affordable, very resourceful Easter decoration idea that even the craft-challenged can create! This is also a fun one to have the kids help with; they can create whatever type of “candy garden” they want!

And I certainly can’t say that I’m dreading when the time comes to “clean up” and “put away” this display. I just hope it makes it to Easter! The kids will actually withhold from eating it; it’s me I’m worried about!

Win it!: I’m excited to be giving away an assortment of HERSHEY’S candy products, like what you see featured above!

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.
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Some of My Sweetest Memories Involve KISSES (GIVEAWAY!!!)

February 12, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 122 Comments

I was recently asked to think about what my sweetest memory is that involved Hershey’s KISSES. I absolutely adore KISSES and eat them pretty much any time I spot them somewhere. But a specific memory? I was really stumped for about a week trying to remember something specific.

And then it hit me while in the shower (why do all great thoughts happen in the shower?). My mind brought me back to something very subtle, but very special, indeed. And Hershey’s KISSES where right there while it all happened.

It was Christmas time 2001, and I was a senior in college. My parents gave me permission to travel to California with my boyfriend and spend the holidays with his family. I had never been further West than Arkansas, with the exception of one conference I got to go to in Utah during college. It was a big deal for me to get to see this part of the U.S.

And it was a seriously HUGE deal to get to spend Christmas with my boyfriend and his family. Mama didn’t raise no fool…I packed a nice dress just in case a proposal was headed my way. And it was, as it turned out. But he proposed to me while I was wearing flannel rubber ducky print pajamas, which is not nearly as scandalous but every bit as hilarious as it sounds.

Anyway, it was also my first time to meet Tim’s older sister and brother-in-law and to spend a significant amount of time with his family (more than a few days). And on top of all of that, it was my very first Christmas away from my own family. Can you just imagine all of the emotions running through me during this trip? Excitement, adventure, anxiety, sadness, hope, and of course, love. Lots of love. Love for the family I was gaining, love for the family I was missing, and love for the man who was my best friend. It was such a roller coaster!

In the midst of all of those emotions and in the midst of all the Christmas hullabaloo, there was something very special sitting on the kitchen counter. It was a crocheted gingerbread house that had a removable roof. Under the roof and inside the house were dozens and dozens of Hershey’s KISSES. Now, Tim’s family had significantly healthier eating habits than my family did, and for a gal with a sweet tooth, adjusting to the lack of refined sugar had its challenging moments. But those KISSES were like a beacon, and once I discovered them, I paid them visits multiple times a day.

Tim’s mother must have known, because every time I thought to myself, “I’m eating too many of these! I need to stop before they are all gone!” I would then notice that the house had been re-filled! Which would tickle and delight me, and make me think, “Well, one or two more won’t be noticed…”

Ha! I bet I ate an entire bag during that trip! And I have zero regrets. Hershey’s KISSES are woven into the fabric of my engagement story. I had forgotten, but now I remember and I’m so glad. No wonder those silver wrappers and tiny flags give me a huge grin every time I see them. They remind me of home, and where it all started.

Hershey’s KISSES infographic

Do you have any special memories that include Hershey’s KISSES?

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win 4 bags of Hershey’s KISSES!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

I am participating in a compensated campaign on behalf of Hershey’s KISSES and The Motherhood. All sweet memories listed here are strictly my own!

Why S’mores Create the Happiest Campers (GIVEAWAY!!!)

August 28, 2011 · by Tiffany Merritt · 123 Comments

Would you believe that I have never EVER been camping in all my years on this earth? And would you believe that I don’t feel sad about that, either?! Yeah, I’m not much of an outdoor girl. I think it is because I was raised in a part of the country where mosquitoes thrive and unbelievably large insects roam freely. Also, it’s hot most of the year, and muggy the entire year. So that’s not exactly the kind of conditions that most people dream of when thinking about spending the night outside!

Even so, I do have fond memories of going on hay rides and doing camp fires with my youth group (that’s about as close to camping out as I ever got!). And I can see where getting to do things like camp out in your backyard as a kid would be so much fun. I don’t want Darah to miss out on these kinds of adventures just because they aren’t my cup of tea. I will not discourage her from camping out (maybe her dad will even take her and leave me home!). And I’ll certainly make sure that she knows the most important lesson of all when it comes to camping…

HOW TO MAKE A S’MORE

Because really, everything else is just details, people!

Tim recently made an indoor camp for Darah (ok, really for all of us) to play in. We had the BEST time, and it was all bug-free, thank you very much!

Since I wanted to make sure we covered the essentials of camping right away, I brought out the plate of S’mores supplies. On a whim, I bought the chocolate graham crackers at the store…they totally rock as the S’mores foundation!

My little one wasted NO time sampling the ingredients! While she’s still a bit too young for the full melted S’more experience, she already totally gets that when you put together marshmallows, Hershey’s chocolate and graham crackers, something really magical happens. It certainly brought back fun memories for me, and got me so very excited about all the new memories that await my family on all our future camping trips…even if they all take place in our living room!

I want to encourage you to pop over to Hershey’s Facebook page because they are having a great giveaway! Just capture your favorite S’mores moments and submit your photos for a chance to win S’mores-themed prizes. The grand prize is a Canon Rebel Camera, slate marble outdoor firebowl, $250 SnapFish gift card, roasting skewers and all of the ingredients needed to make S’mores!

Win it!: Thanks to Hershey’s, I’ve got an opportunity for you to make fun memories with your family through your own special camp out! One Stuff Parents Need reader will win a S’mores pack, which contains Hershey’s chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows. The giveaway will run until September 7th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected via Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry:Tell me about your experience camping out? Do you love it? Have any tips for someone like me who has never been? Anything relevant to the topic works for me.

Additional entries:

1. Sponsor love: Like Hershey’s on Facebook

2. Blogger love: Like Stuff Parents Need on Facebook

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of the page.

Disclosure: This post is part of my participation in the Hershey’s “Say S’mores” Promotion. All opinions expressed are mine.

Giving the Gift of Chocolate

December 1, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Do you give boxed chocolates to anyone for the holidays? I find boxes of chocolate to be a bit of a drab gift at Valentine’s Day, but for the holidays, I love them! So many companies put out a delightful spread of delicious treats (in my opinion, the selection now is better than at Valentine’s Day, overall).

I typically give boxed chocolates to neighbors and co-workers. This year I’ve got some set aside for close family friends, as well. I think they are the perfect gift option for anyone who loves chocolate (uh, who doesn’t?) and also for anyone who you don’t know very well, personally (like the postal carrier).

I’ve just learned about a great line of products put out by one of my favorites, Hershey’s. Check out their Pot of Gold collection.