You'll dig these worms

IT MAY SOUND STRANGE, but if my husband brings home gummy worms, it means war.

It also means we will be seeing our grandsons soon.

The boys love to eat the rubbery, gelatin-based candy, but even more important is the fun they have playing with them.

It's the three boys against Grandpa as the battle rages. I think the appeal may be that little boys think worms are icky and great fun if they can make them stick on each other - especially during the heat of battle. It normally turns into the kind of wrestling match children love.

Naturally, the instigator is always the biggest one. Grandpa makes sure he stocks up on the sour treats before their arrival.

Gummies come in lots of shapes, but the original Gummi Bear came from Germany, where it was invented in 1922.

In honor of Gummi Worm Day on Tuesday, I made a bait bucket full of gummy worms to take fishing, although I wouldn't suggest you put them on a hook at the end of a fishing pole. Share the treat with your family and friends and enjoy it for dessert.

For this craft, I used a clean bucket and filled it with instant chocolate pudding. The pudding holds the worms upright in the bucket. Any food container with a handle will work just as well.

Supplies you will need

* 1 7-inch plastic bucket or other container

* 1 package instant chocolate pudding

* Chocolate wafer cookies

* Resealable bag

* Wooden kitchen mallet

* 1 bag gummy worms

How to make it

Wash and dry the container. In a separate bowl, mix the instant pudding according to package directions. Pour the pudding into the bucket or container and place in refrigerator until firm.

Place about a dozen chocolate wafer cookies into a plastic bag. Release the air inside the bag and seal. Place the bag on your work surface and crush into tiny pieces with a wooden mallet or roll with a rolling pin. Sprinkle the cookie crumbs on top of the pudding to look like dirt.

Stick the ends of the worms inside the bucket so it looks like they are peering out at you.