It was a ‘Hallo-READ!’ at the White House Halloween celebration Monday night. The tradition of the president and first lady standing outside passing out treats to the children of White House staff and military service members continued.
Even this simple holiday tradition seemed a bit strenuous for the feeble old man in the White House. He passed out souvenir White House M&Ms, which he managed to drop on the ground instead of into awaiting bags held by children filing by in a single line. Jill handed out books to the children.
Biden drops the candy after he is startled by a child’s Halloween costume pic.twitter.com/6J5XGIBjEm
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 30, 2023
The White House was decorated with trees, pumpkins and flowers for Halloween. US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden handed out books and candy to trick-or-treaters pic.twitter.com/xRM9BUfxwR
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 31, 2023
The president was in regular clothes but Jill dressed up as their cat, Willow. Somehow everyone was supposed to recognize her costume.
Jill Biden, Ed.D.: “So I guess you know, I’m our cat, Willow” pic.twitter.com/rYtJazfA14
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 30, 2023
The only Biden pets we ever hear about are the biting German Shepherds. No word on whether or not Willow is a biter, too.
Secretary of State Blinken came by with his young son dressed as a mini Zelensky. I know. Poor kid. His daughter was dressed in the colors of Ukraine, blue and yellow. Apparently, the Blinkens like to use their children as political props. Ugh.
Secretary of State Blinken’s daughter and son came to the White House for Halloween, dressed in yellow and blue and wearing a khaki suit with Ukrainian and American flags.
US President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, dressed as a cat, handed out sweets to them.
📷Suspilne pic.twitter.com/TibpdS0HY5
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) October 31, 2023
Here is Biden being a weird old man, as per usual.
Biden grabs a taste of a child’s fake ice cream cone pic.twitter.com/EtvgbHxI5y
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 30, 2023
Old man spreading germs:
Biden coughs into his hand a couple times, then goes right back to handing out candy pic.twitter.com/NMpCOQjZw3
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 30, 2023
Good times, good times.
Meanwhile, as you probably noticed if you hand out Halloween candy at your house, the price of candy is up 13% from last year. That’s Bidenomics at work. Scary stuff.
A report from Datasembly released earlier this month shows the price of candy and gum has soared 12.8% over the past year — nearly twice the amount of other groceries, which rose 6.7%.
While candy costs are up nationwide, the price hikes vary by state, according to the data. On the low end, candy prices in Alaska rose 7.1% over the past year, but the Northeast was hit particularly hard, with Vermont’s candy and gum prices surging by 14.7%.
Blame the cost of raw sugar.
The particularly higher price tags for candy have been driven by a spike in the costs of their key ingredients.
Thanks to the hot and dry weather, Mexico, where America imports much of its sugar from, has seen its production fall by more than 15% this year, according to the Department of Agriculture. High cost of fertilizers and labor didn’t help.
The futures of raw sugar on global markets has gained 50% from last year, now trading at the highest level since 2011.
Candies with chocolate, the most popular of candies, are likely facing further price hikes. Blame the cocoa bean harvest.
Candies with chocolates have had it even worse. Heavy rains and a rot-causing disease in West Africa, which accounts for two-thirds of the world’s cocoa bean harvest, have wreaked havoc on the crops this year.
Unlike sugar, which can be produced from multiple crops like cane or beets, there is no easy alternative for cocoa. Futures for the commodity recently hit $3,880 a metric ton, 67% more than a year ago and the most expensive since the 1970s.
Snack companies including Nestlé (Switzerland: NESN), Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Spruengli (Switzerland: LISN) , and Hershey (HSY), have recently said that they won’t rule out the possibility of further price hikes.
Chocolate candy is the favorite, with candy buyers saying they will hand out chocolate candy. Gummies come in at second place at 60% favorability and sour candy comes in last at 45%.
Tomorrow is the best day to buy Halloween candy, though. The day after Halloween is when lots of retailers put deep discounts on Halloween candy still on the shelves. It’s the best day of the year for buying candy.
Happy Halloween, y’all!
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