What's the shelf life of Halloween candy?

Ok, show of hands: how many people still have Halloween candy squirreled away?
Anyone?
Just me, huh?
Liars.

Well I've still got some Halloween candy and I was jonesing for it today when I stopped to think, "Huh. Well it HAS been over 4 months... I wonder how long Halloween candy stays good for?" A little poking around on the internet and I came up with an answer. I don't know if it's THE answer... but it's some kind of a guide at least.

According to THIS posting it varies on the type of candy. For instance:

BUBBLE GUM - Most gum such as Bubble Yum or Bubblicious Bubble Gum is good for anywhere from four (4) to six (6) months and this guideline applies to regular gums such as Chiclets, Dentyne, Trident, et al

CANDY BARS - The average shelf for a chocolate candy bar is anywhere up to six (6) months, however, certain candies such as Necco Wafers, Smarties, Starburst Fruit Chews or Nerds can last considerably longer due to their consistency.

GUMMI CANDY - Most gummi candies such as gummi bears, peachy penguins, strawberry puffs, etc are good for up to (six) months although they will diminish in quality if exposed high temperatures.

JELLY BELLY JELLY BEANS - The manufacturer suggests that the shelf life for Jelly Bellies is up to eight ( months.

JORDAN ALMONDS (CONFETTI) - We are frequently asked about Jordan Almonds as they are often purchased in advance to be used for celebratory events such as anniversaries, baby showers or weddings.

Although the shelf life is said to be up to five (5) months, we suggest that you do not hold them for longer than two (2) to three (3) months to ensure that they are absolutely fresh.

LOLLIPOPS - Most lollipops have a long shelf life but it is important to remember that exposure to high temperatures can cause the candy to permanently stick to the wrappers.

Although most lollipops can last up to six (6) months, it is important that they are stored in cool environments.

M&M's ® CHOCOLATE CANDIES - According to the manufacturer, the life span of M&M's ® is up to thirteen (13) months providing that it remains in it's factory sealed package and not exposed to heat.

NOVELTY CANDY - Most novelties candies are nothing more than candy such as bubble gum or dextrose encased in a plastic outer shell. The life span of most novelty candies is six (6) to eight ( months and depends on the type of candy chosen.

UNWRAPPED BULK CANDY - Most unwrapped bulk candies remains fresh for five (5) to six (6) months, however, certain items such as Candy Roll Wafers, Runts,Rock Candy Strings and Candy Blocks will last longer due to their consistency.

Candies such as Good & Plenty, Licorice, Mexican Hats or Red Dollars tend to taste better when fresh and we suggest that you store them for no longer than two (2) months.

Chocolate candies such as Bridge Mix, Chocolate Pretzels, Double Dipped Chocolate Peanuts or Malted Milk Balls tend to have a shorter shelf life and this applies to any candy that has peanuts as one of the ingredients,

WRAPPED BULK CANDY - Most wrapped bulk candy remains fresh for five (5) to six (six) months especially if it is a hard candy such as a Butterscotch Disk, Starlight Mint or Root Beer Barrel.

Softer candies such as Caramel Creams or Brach's Royals have a shorter shelf life due to their consistency.

Certain candies such as Anise Squares, Brach's Ice Blue Mints, Jolly Ranchers or Sour Balls have a much longer shelf life and are ideal for long term use....and Atomic Fireballs seem to last forever...

So there you have it.
As always, I'm going to exercise caution and hope this posting wasn't written by a crazy person. If you don't hear from me in a few days please start looking for me.

I'll be the guy sprawled face down on the kitchen floor surrounded by gummi bears.