Halloween Leftovers: Get Rid of Candy, Score Post-Holiday Deals

Though Halloween has already passed, piles of candy in cupboards and Halloween costumes and accessories in stores still remain.

Patch put together a roundup of things to do with leftover Halloween candy and where to score discounted Halloween costumes and accessories for next year.

Too many sweets?

Many people probably have enough candy to last them through the year or at least put them in a sugar coma until Thanksgiving. If you realize you have too many left over sweets, pick out the ones you want to keep and donate the rest. Here are three places to give your leftover Halloween candy to:

1.Troy Youth Assistance: Through Nov. 9 a few area elementary schools are collecting candy in boxes set up in their school offices for (TYA). For the past few years, according to TYA administrative assistant Robin Lilly, TYA has been collecting candy to donate to local nonprofit organizations. This year some of the nonprofits that will receive the candy include the Baldwin Center, Lighthouse of Oakland County and Blessings in a Backpack. Elementary schools collecting the candy include , and . "We usually get really good turnouts," Lilly said. "Last year we collected almost 400 pounds of candy."

2. Ronald P. Herbst, D.D.S.: This dentist's office is located at 1460 Walton Blvd., Suite 205 in Rochester Hills. Herbst is buying candy back through 5:30 p.m. Thursday. For every pound of candy droped off you will receive $1. Herbst intends to send the candy to the troops.

3. Operation Shoebox: Mail the candy to Operation Shoebox, a nonprofit organization which collects goodies to send abroad to military troops. Simply package up the candy and send it to 8360 E. Highway 25, Belleview, FL; they'll make sure it gets in the right hands.

It's not too early to plan for next year

We know Halloween 2012 is still 362 days away, but now is the best time to buy Halloween costumes and accessories. Halloween-themed merchandise prices are now slashed throughout Troy. Here are a few places we suggest you stop into before all the inventory is gone:

1. Spirit Halloween: With locations at both 360 John R Rd. and 2850 Rochester Rd there's still plenty of deals to snag at this specialty Halloween store. Currently Spirit Halloween is offering "scary savings" of 50 percent off (or more) much of its inventory.

2. : Through Sunday, Halloween costumes and Trick-or-Treat accessories will be 50 percent off. Plus, if you passed out all your candy on Halloween, restock your cupboards for 25 percent to 50 percent off assorted Halloween candy.

3. The store is having an "after Halloween two-week sale" with big candy discounts.