Trick-Or-Treaters

[Karlifornia]

I'm real new to this. This being giving out candy to trick-or-treaters. In fact, tonight was my rookie year. I'm 25 now, and have lived on my own for the better part of my adult life. Those years, however, were mostly spent in apartments, and other places where kids with caring families do not tread. I live in a house now in a downtown area, and all of my roommates were in Disneyland for a wedding. I lived in the same house last year, but last year I was at work during the peak trick-or-treating hours. Tonight, it was all me. My inexperience revealed itself early. I didn't even realize the gravity of the situation until about 4 o'clock. My whole day plan had revolved around watching college football, and the jewel was USC/Oregon at slightly past 5 pm.

I called my mom, and she asked me if I had candy ready for the kids. I didn't. I went to the back unit of the property I live on to feed the cats of my best friend and his wife. I rummaged through their cupboards and found a half-full bag of what I interpreted to be Halloween candy. I called my friend, who was in between the wedding ceremony and the reception, and asked if I could deploy their candy on the sugar-hungry child army that awaited. He granted my humble request, and then told me he had to go. Now, it was me, the football game, and an open front door.

I watched the first quarter of the game, one eye on the TV, and one on the walkway behind the recliner. I finally got my first kids at about 7. "Trick or treat!". I proudly stood up and threw a handful of candy into both of their little buckets. No sweat...Then after that was a torrent of little devils, Darth Vaders, and Disney Princesses. It took about 15 minutes for that bag of assorted shitty candy (Smarties, generic Jawbreakers, and Now And Laters), to be cleaned out. I desperately searched the kitchen cabinets, and found some king size Reese Cups and a package of 6 whole Hershey Bars. I gave those out to the next batches of cretins, hoping that at least I would see their stupid faces light up. Nope.....I could just imagine getting whole candy bars as a little Jason Voorhees....I would have shit my little fake blood soaked pants. Not these kids. They hardly even noticed. Fuck you, you little bitch ass last second decisions. I even gave a couple kids some little bags of Mini Eggs from Easter that I had forgotten to eat. They are probably my favorite candy. I didn't know their expiration date, so I figured it was safe.

I ran out of all candy at 7:30, and then decided to drive down to the pizza place that I work at until the urchins' bedtime. I was still getting knocks at the door as I shut the lights off and escaped through the side gate. I went to get into my car, and saw a host of kids and parents at the front gate. Fuck. I just yelled to them, "I ran out of candy (true). I'm going to the store to buy some more (untrue)".

I went to the pizza place, and my boss gave me a big bag of candy. I went back home, and gave out the rest of the candy, and the last knock at my door got the very last of my candy.

My questions to you, the experienced, are:

-How much candy do you have on hand? One bag? Two bags? THREE?!

-Do you let the kids grab into your candy bag, or do place the candy into their bags? I did the latter.

-What do you do if you run out of candy? Do you go buy more? Do you answer the door and say "Sorry, I'm out of candy", or do you hide with the lights and TV off?

-If you hand the candy out, rather than letting them grab, how much do you give each kid? One little Milky Way? Two? One little Milky Way and a couple pieces of rock hard Dubble Bubble?

I can't remember what I got from every house, or what the protocol was at all. I was in always in a haze of candy acquiring madness.

[Dutch]

Two options.

1. Close the curtains, shut off the lights, don't answer the door, and watch the game.

2. Get 3 fucking bags of candy you cheap bastard. Fuck. You are 25, not 75.

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by Dutch

Two options.

1. Close the curtains, shut off the lights, don't answer the door, and watch the game.

2. Get 3 fucking bags of candy you cheap bastard. Fuck. You are 25, not 75.

1. No.

2. Ok. I said I was rookie. I was admittedly unprepared for a deluge. Your input is noted, and appreciated. Even if you are named after a shitty Ed O'Neill movie.

[Dutch]

Yes, I slammed you, get over it. Had you put forth at least an ounce of effort to prepare, I would never have suggested you were being a doucebag about this. YOU did absolutely nothing to prepare, potentially handed out rotten easter candy and you think it is beyond scope for somebody to call you out?

[Raiders Army]

I sense this topic blowing up to at least 5 pages...

Anyhow, parents really piss me off. We went out trick or treating with our younger two kids while our oldest stayed at home to hand out candy. It's absolutely deplorable what parents don't teach their kids and what they do teach their kids (then again, what do I know...I tell my kids to cheer for the Raiders!).

The other kids we were around didn't say "trick or treat" or "thank you". They just walked up, got candy and left. There were freakin' teenagers (14-16) not dressed up getting candy. I gave them costumes though...like "Meth Addict" or "Street Walker".

It's the same as we've seen the past few years, whether it was in El Paso or shitty Lawton, Oklahoma.

Oh, and for the first time ever we didn't get a single knock on our door.

[Raiders Army]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

My questions to you, the experienced, are:

-How much candy do you have on hand? One bag? Two bags? THREE?!

-Do you let the kids grab into your candy bag, or do place the candy into their bags? I did the latter.

-What do you do if you run out of candy? Do you go buy more? Do you answer the door and say "Sorry, I'm out of candy", or do you hide with the lights and TV off?

-If you hand the candy out, rather than letting them grab, how much do you give each kid? One little Milky Way? Two? One little Milky Way and a couple pieces of rock hard Dubble Bubble?

I can't remember what I got from every house, or what the protocol was at all. I was in always in a haze of candy acquiring madness.

1. We had one huge bag and I instructed my son to give each kids 5-7 pieces of candy (we have good stuff: Whoppers, Kit-Kats, etc.). This was based on last year having two kids come by and figuring that maybe more would come by this year.

2. Always place the candy in their bags. You're the one giving so it's dealer's choice.

3. If you run out of candy and more kids are on their way up your driveway or sidewalk, tell them that the kids who just left your door mugged you and took all your candy...

If you run out of candy, you can give money or fruit to the kids on their way and once they're gone, turn off your lights and don't answer the door.

4. Give what you want to give. It's a gift, not something that's mandatory so don't feel bad about giving one piece to each kid.

[Greyroofoo]

I really think anyone who tells their kids to root for the Raiders should be reported to child services.

[lungs]

I handed out cigarettes this year. I even had a choice between Menthol, and non-Menthol and lights and full flavor.

[EagleFan]

2nd year in our current house and I bought 4 large bags of assorted candy (hershey bars, cookies n cream hersheys, reeses, baby ruth, butterfinger, nerds, sweet tarts, and other assorted candy). In just over an hour I had 112 kids and was completely cleaned out. I started out giving out a good amoun per kid (based it on last year where we had about 90 kids in the 2 hour period) but had to really limit it just to make it as long as I did.

Based on the kids in the area when I turned out the light (and the ones that sill came to the door even though the light was out) the final count would have easily been over 150 and maybe approaching 170.

Put the light back on around 9 (it was 6-8 so figured that woudl be safe). Some people showed up at our door at freaking 10 o'clock. Not even like it was people who lived in the area that maybe we knew. Why are you taking your kid to some random house 2 hours after trick or treating is done.... at 10 o'clock at night!!!

Was going to play some Uncharted 2 while giving out the candy but that plan didn't happen. Basically played for 30 seconds, hit pause, hand out candy to the 10 kids that showed up, repeat.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Got burned badly the first year in a t-or-t home myself, so ain't no shame in that afaic. Actually made two additional runs to a nearby drug store just to get through that night (was down to bubble gum, butterscotch, and peppermints but it was something).

Learned that lesson & actually got pretty good at it in the old house, which was essential since we were getting well over 200 kids a year for several years. Got to the point that we would put our company's h.s. intern on the clock for Halloween (since it was a two person job & one of us had to take our own child out to make the rounds). Even pre-bagged stuff in those little orange/black goodie bags for a few years, I think it peaked around $100 worth of stuff in all.

The how much/what to give 'em thing also developed a routine. My goal was a healthy splash in their container, especially with the goodie bags, I wanted 'em to feel it hit the bottom & have no doubt that they had just scored based on the sheer weight alone. The standard mix was something like this:
*1 "premium" - that's a snack size (the bigger one) Snickers/3 Musketeers/Milky Way/M&M, not those little bitty mini squares or Charms Blow Pop/Tootsie Pop
*1 "pretty good" - that's your 2 stick, half length Kit Kat or a half roll Lifesavers/Gummi's/Jr Mints mini-box
*1 bubble gum - Double Bubble or Bazooka
*1 cheapo sucker - DumDum's or equivalent
*2 cheapos - that's the peppermint/butterscotch/fruit flavored discs that are like a buck for a jumbo bag year round, great for providing heft & volume at low cost

That was the standard haul, give or take, occasionally trading quality for quantity or vice versa depending on what ran low while getting ready. Then there were a few kids that we knew very well/were family friends/etc who hit the major jackpot, they got 10-15 pcs on the upper end, plus they could pick through the bowl that was mostly for show and find some favorites. Several neighbors did that for me way back in the day, I always loved it, and passed it on.

Never intended for it to become such a big deal at all, not a big Halloween fan by any stretch of the imagination. But Monticello had a lot of kids who lived below the poverty line, and not a few who likely had more candy that night than they saw the rest of the year. What sealed the deal for us going to some extremes on the candy was the inverse proportion of appreciation from those kids vs the ostensibly "better off" kids, who usually barely registered that you'd given them anything.

And the adult we saw once a year -- never ran into him anywhere else, no idea who he was/where he was from -- who my wife described as "walking better in 5 inch heels than I can" that always appeared looking like he went AWOL from a professional female impersonator troupe. He got the premium goodie bag too since my wife said "he deserves it, that's hard work".

Flash forward to last night ... not a single visitor, first time in about 16 years that's happened to us. But there's only one t-or-t aged child left in the neighborhood I think, we're well off the beaten path, and my own kid has aged out of it so we don't get classmates anymore either.

[Butter]

My neighborhood, we get about 150-200 kids a year. I can't afford to be giving out full size pieces. We usually try to have 300-400 pieces, so I give out one piece (fun size Reese's, Kit Kat, York Patties, Starburst, and Skittles this year) to each kid for a while, then if I feel like I still have a lot of candy, each kid starts getting two. Didn't have the usual number of undressed-up teens this year, and had a lot more kids say thank you than last year. It also seemed like there were about 25% less people handing out candy this yearn according to neighborhood reports from my wife (the economy, I guess). My wife and I were joking about the married couples who were out with their kids basically "freeloading".

[BrianD]

Our routine is to buy bags of the snack-size candy bars and nothing else. When I was a kid, houses that gave these away were on the top of my list, so that is what we do now. Everyone gets one candy bar, and we drop it into their bag. Most kids could handle picking one on their own, but there is always some 4 year-old who doesn't quite understand what is going on and grabs a handful.

We are in a cul-du-sac where half the lots are still vacant, so we only needed to buy 3 bags this year. Make a mental note of how good your estimate was and adjust next year. We ended up with about 10 pieces of candy left, so our estimate this year was too good. I would have liked more for myself.

Kids were oddly polite this year. All but one said "trick or treat", nearly all of them said "thank you", and most of them said "happy Halloween" as they left.

[Lathum]

Pretty much what most others say.

We always get extra candy, that way we can eat the leftovers.

And if the kids don't thank me I look at their parents and say "your welcome" really loud.

I also hate the 15 year old kids, its idiotic.

[stevew]

It's not worth it for trick or treaters to stop at our house or our neighbors. Haven't had anyone the last two years, didn't even buy candy this year.

[Mustang]

We left the house this year more because my 2 year old daughter does not handle costumes well so, we decided to just remove that misery from her life (and ours)

But, when we hand it out, we usually get 3 bags of mixed candy. 1 or 2 bags of the good stuff (like snickers, butterfingers, etc.. larger bars) and then 1 bag of the mixed junk (gum, tootsie rolls).

We give out around 3-4 pieces at the start and then it progresses up to handfuls by the end of the night just so we can get rid of it and not have it in the house for us to eat.

[TCY Junkie]

I love Halloween. I was planning on buying some candy but got tricked. My brother said hey do you want to take the boat out tomorrow and I said yes. When I got there he said he needed to screw the board in better on the trailer. A couple hours later we jump in the boat that had been tied off. We fish a little while and the boat doesn't settle correctly on the trailer so we leave the boat in the water and fix the trailer again. It's 5 by this time and I didn't get any food for the day yet. The Junkie usually gets a headache if he doesn't get something by then and today was no different. I ate and said screw the kids as my head was throbbing, no stop at the dollar store for candy. I went home and watched the games I recorded. Florida, Texas, and USC. I should have just went to bed. I felt like crap and the games weren't close. I didn't even give the guy back the extra 5 I noticed he gave me when I sat down and ate, so I felt a little guilty as I left. I didn't really feel like talking to him though, I told him mashed potatoes instead of fries 4 times and still got fries. I order 3 mashed potatoes as I ordered 3 value snacks, so it might have registered with him. I didn't feel like dealing with him in my condition, does anyone want 5 dollars?

[MikeVic]

I haven't handed out candy yet since moving out, but I plan to next year so this is a great thread for me.

When I would help my parents at their place, I'd give more candy to cute costumes and people that actually yelled out "Trick or treat," and less to those asshole teenagers that were still looking for free candy. Also, if someone yelled out "Halloween Apple" they'd get favourable candy since I rarely hear people yell that anymore.

Do kids still carry around Unicef boxes?

[terpkristin]

Hah this was my first year handing out candy, as previously I'd lived in apartments. Actually, last year I was in my house, too, but work had been extra crazy and I wasn't home Halloween night so I didn't do it last year.

I ended up buying about 6 bags of the bite-size chocolate candy stuff (Snickers, Milky Way, Nestle Crunch, 3 Musketeers, and 2 Reese's Peanut Butter Cup bags) and a couple bags of non-chocolate items (Starburst, Skittles).

Had about 3 dozen kids come by, mostly younger ones. Went through about 4/5 of the chocolate and half of the non-chocolate. I loved the kids. Can't wait to do it again next year.

/tk

[terpkristin]

Dola,
I put the leftover chocolate candy in the freezer, it'll be nice for treats/mini-desserts.

The non-chocolate stuff will go to work with me tomorrow, placed in our kitchen, and I guarantee will be gone by noon.

/tk

[Autumn]

We bought about three bags of candy, plus we ahd some halloween pencils, a big tub of those halloween pretzels, plus glowsticks. My wife was thinking of just doing the other stuff, but I didn't want to be the house with no candy. Bad mojo. But I was surprised to see the kids snatching the pencils and pretzels, even the teens. Of course they loved glowsticks.

I let the kids pick out what they want. NOthing worse with an assortment then watching someone hand you the thing you hate when you like their other stuff.

[Mike1409]

Everything is covered here but I have 1 little thing I do to make me happy. I go shoppng today and buy 2 boxes of popcorn balls. I put them in the hall closet until next year, and give those to the 14-16 yolds who don"t dress up!

It is trick or treat mind you!

[Noop]

I didn't answer the door.

[DanGarion]

First Halloween in our house, we weren't really sure what to expect. Our neighbors behind us said they are lucky to get 2 or 3 visits, but they were in an unusual location. Our other neighbor is out of town so I couldn't ask him. We decorated the outside of our house a bit so I was hoping we'd get some hits. No trick or treaters showed up till after 7. Most of the groups were teenagers 1/2 of them weren't dressed. Anyone not dressed I gave a hard time and only gave them one piece of crappy stuff. Anyone dressed got 2-4 pieces of good stuff (fun size Snickers, Twix, Reeses, etc). I'd say we probably got about 100 total kids or so. I had 5 various bags of stuff, and we have 2 bags left (M&Ms that I saved to last since my wife loves them).

We live in a old neighborhood so there are various ages of people, throughout here. Lots of people did up their houses really nice, I wanted to walk around and check them out, but never got a chance, since my wife didn't get back with my niece and nephews till past 9.

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

I haven't handed out candy yet since moving out, but I plan to next year so this is a great thread for me.

When I would help my parents at their place, I'd give more candy to cute costumes and people that actually yelled out "Trick or treat," and less to those asshole teenagers that were still looking for free candy. Also, if someone yelled out "Halloween Apple" they'd get favourable candy since I rarely hear people yell that anymore.

Do kids still carry around Unicef boxes?

one kid did... we were like wtf....

[Lathum]

Holloween Apple?

Canadiens are weird

[Chief Rum]

I have lived in apartments or condos now for almost 15 years, so the big Halloween thing doesn't really happen for me usually.

Last night, though, I was invited over to my friend's fiancee's parents place, and my friend is a big horror buff, wants to direct zombie movies and has a lot of movie "effects". They did a lot of cool stuff, putting tombstones out in the yard, blocking off the hallway to the door with screens, putting in a fog machine, hanging gory things from the wall and ceiling, and playing creepy Halloween music all night. Then all of us (there were 7 of us, all adults of varying ages in all) dressed in various monster outfits and acted scary in the yard and what not. Good fun.

I wasn't seriously dressed up. I had a monster mask (some sort of deformed guy, think Goonies, with more blood, less smiles) and a little top hat. Otherwise, dark T-shirt and jeans. Classy, eh?

Only thing I didn't like was sometimes we needed to better be able to peek when it was little, little kids coming, so we could "dumb it down a bit", not be all that scary. Although one kid, this was hilarious. She was dressed as a fairy and was maybe 11-12, and she was with her mom and her little princess sister (maybe 6-7). I can't remember what she said, so let's call her sister "Yvette".

So I'm seated in the little garden spot next to the hallway to the door, right above the fog machine, full dress. I stand out, full yellow light on me, so the kids see me. I don't move on their way in, but then I scare them a little on the way out (I had a little rattle or I would go traditional with a "boo").

So the fairy and her sister Yvette and the Mom are all frightened but move past to the door, say their trick or treats, dodging other monsters as well and taking candy from my friend's fiancee's mom, a witch who is the only whose face you can see. Well, Mom and Yvette quickly move down the hallway, and the fairy sorta stops, slightly trips at the step in the middle of the hallway (between me and the doorway). She realizes she has to cross the path in front of me alone, and calls out "Yvette, wait for me". Well, Yvette was just 6, so she was having none of that, abandoned her sister, lol. Well, this opportunity was too good. So I leaped out my chair with an "Argh" in the hallway (just jumped out, no chase, not necessary) and that completely scared the fairy girl (and Yvette looking back). The fairy girl ran back to the witch at the door, screaming. Then my buddy dressed as Michael Myers ambled into the hallway from outside and, using one of those movie prop retractable knives, stabbed me a couple times and I fake "died" onto the floor.

The fairy girl wasn't buying it, though, she thought I would grab her as she went by (I wasn't planning to, but, hey, good point). I eventually had to sit up take my mask off, wish her a Happy Halloween and say she could go by.

[Fidatelo]

We don't get many kids, I think we had 38 this year. We weren't as generous with the candy this year, mostly because we just didn't prepare properly and were worried about running out. We needn't have worried, but better safe and slightly cheap than sorry. Anyways, each kid got 3 pieces of candy, so not terrible.

As for the kids, I can't stand the manners lately. Most of the kids didn't even yell "Trick or Treat" or "Hallowe'en Apples", they would just stand on the porch and wait for us to get up. Many also didn't say thank you, I even had one 'transaction' that basically went like this:

{Dog goes nuts, indicating that an urchin is approaching. Urchin says nothing as I approach the door.}
Me: Hello! Happy hallowe'en!
Urchin: ...
Me: Well, here is some candy for you!
{candy is dropped into bag}
Urchin: Yep.
{Urchin walks off}.
My wife: Did he just say "yep" instead of "thank you"?!

[AlexB]

True story: last year my brother ran out of the chocolate bars, so gave a trick or treater in a vampire outfit some jelly beans he'd got for a party a while back from the Polish store.

The kid was a bit perplexed by the old school sweets, and asked him 'Is suitable for vegans?', so he found himself trying to decipher a Polish ingredient list to see if jelly beans are suitable for a vegan dressed as a vampire

[Ironhead]

This was our second year in our home and we really tried to decorate the house and make it scary and memorable. Our goal is to be the house where some kids may be too scared to come up to the door but those that do get rewarded handsomely.

Is it just me or are parents getting really lazy? I can't tell you how many parents I saw following their kids in a car instead of walking along with them. Isn't part of the fun of Halloween for a parent walking along with your child? Like so many other things these days the parents just seem to miss the point.

Something else that was strange is that we got a ton of kids between 3 PM and 6:30 PM. We didn't get a single trick-or-treater after 6:30. Now I can understand people being worried about their kids but it just isn't Halloween unless it is dark outside people.

[Celeval]

We did alright, didn't get quite as many as we had expected (probably around 60-70, was expecting over 100). Most kids asked T-or-T (except the really young shy ones), most said thanks (except the large groups, where one or two would say thanks and the others would keep running).

Best costume of the night: LEGO Mini-figure, home-made, with the oversized head and everything.

Worst part of the night: Brought our daughter out trick or treating for the first time, walked around the block for no more than ten minutes. Was early, about 6:00, still light out. Left two bowls of candy on the porch with a "we're trick-or-treating, back soon" sign. Some kids from the next subdivision over who we passed while we were out took not only all the candy, but both the bowls, too. And we weren't the only house, at least two others who were doing similar things got swiped from, too. That's not cool.

[AENeuman]

Best trick or treater ever... in-laws had a little girl in a sombrero with a goat!

That's worth 4 pieces of candy, and an old shoe

[Schmidty]

I never buy candy. We live in the city, but we live toward the end of a creepy dead end street, and haven't gotten even one trick-or-treater in the 6 years I've lived here.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Celeval

Left two bowls of candy on the porch with a "we're trick-or-treating, back soon" sign. Some kids from the next subdivision over who we passed while we were out took not only all the candy, but both the bowls, too. And we weren't the only house, at least two others who were doing similar things got swiped from, too. That's not cool.

what did you think would happen?

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

True story: last year my brother ran out of the chocolate bars, so gave a trick or treater in a vampire outfit some jelly beans he'd got for a party a while back from the Polish store.

The kid was a bit perplexed by the old school sweets, and asked him 'Is suitable for vegans?', so he found himself trying to decipher a Polish ingredient list to see if jelly beans are suitable for a vegan dressed as a vampire

Who the hell goes trick or treating that is a vegan. WTF?

[DanGarion]

Here is what our house was like, in anyone cares. We thought he did a decent job for our first year in a house.

[tarcone]

Our subdivision goes all out. One house has a scary maze in the woods, One has tombstones and zombies. Lots of stuff like that. Also, lots of parties in the neighborhood.
My neighbor bagged up 217 sandwich bags of candy to hand out. He gave all those away plus handfuls of candy to another 15-20 kids.
We also have a guys a couple houses up who hands out the 1 pound size candy bars. I imagine about 50 of them.

It was a good time.

[Chief Rum]

Forgot to mention. Funny side story. Across the street and three houses down, some guy had what looked like a big pit with an open fire going. I pointed it out to one of my friend's fiancee's family members and said something like, "Hey, look at that guy, really goes out for Halloween." And she said, "Naw, not Halloween, just 'Saturday'". I guess that guy is some biker gang guy and always has a fire going on Saturday's (Lord knows why).

[bbor]

I heart hallo'een.My wife decorates the house big time and we always have a big dressup bash at our place.

[Celeval]

Originally Posted by Lathum

what did you think would happen?

In daylight, with a handful of families wandering? Knew it might happen, and would have expected it after dark, but was disappointed that it did (we did keep candy in reserve). But the bowls, too?

[PurdueBrad]

We took my 7 month old out for his first Halloween. He wasn't feeling great and it was cold so we just hit six houses of close neighbors and friends. I didn't let him steal anyone's bowls of candy, either.

[Lathum]

looks very cute PB.

the baby was cute also

[PurdueBrad]

Originally Posted by Lathum

looks very cute PB.

the baby was cute also

Thanks on both counts

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by Dutch

Yes, I slammed you, get over it. Had you put forth at least an ounce of effort to prepare, I would never have suggested you were being a doucebag about this. YOU did absolutely nothing to prepare, potentially handed out rotten easter candy and you think it is beyond scope for somebody to call you out?

LOL..are you seriously this worked up by this post? Wow...people really take this Halloween thing seriously. Take a Xanax and pop open a beer, killer.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

LOL..are you seriously this worked up by this post? Wow...people really take this Halloween thing seriously. Take a Xanax and pop open a beer, killer.

He has every right to call you out.

Halloween is serious business. Giving out candy to needy kids is serious business. Maybe next holiday you have no experience with you will do the legwork ahead of time.

Learn how to cook a turkey, decorate a Christmas tree and run an Easter egg hunt so you will be fully prepared.

Thank God for Dutch, someone had to give you your comeuppance.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Lathum

He has every right to call you out.

Halloween is serious business. Giving out candy to needy kids is serious business. Maybe next holiday you have no experience with you will do the legwork ahead of time.

Learn how to cook a turkey, decorate a Christmas tree and run an Easter egg hunt so you will be fully prepared.

Thank God for Dutch, someone had to give you your comeuppance.

Exactly, think of the children...

[Karlifornia]

I would just like to echo the disappointment in the manners of kids. Most of the kids that were even like 12 or 13 couldn't be bothered to say anything to me. Fidatelo's exchange happened for me verbatim many times. There are always the ones that are really enthusiastic and nice, so you just have to treat them all the same and hope for some give-and-take.

Lathum, I like your idea of yelling "You're welcome" at the parents if the kids don't say thank you. I actually thought about it a few times, but I don't think the parents spoke much English anyway (Okay, okay... I pussied out).

[CamEdwards]

Yeah, most of the kids suck these days. It actually made me feel really proud to see my 4-year old daughter walk up to the house, sing out "Happy Halloween!" to the person that opened the door, and say "thank you" afterwards. Her twin brother made it to five houses and then wanted to be finished with trick or treating.

The best tradition in our neighborhood is the handing out of beers to the parents of trick or treaters. It's always fun to see your dentist at the door begging for alcohol.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

I would just like to echo the disappointment in the manners of kids. Most of the kids that were even like 12 or 13 couldn't be bothered to say anything to me.

"Thanks for old Easter candy, douchebag."

[PurdueBrad]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

I would just like to echo the disappointment in the manners of kids. Most of the kids that were even like 12 or 13 couldn't be bothered to say anything to me. Fidatelo's exchange happened for me verbatim many times. There are always the ones that are really enthusiastic and nice, so you just have to treat them all the same and hope for some give-and-take.

Lathum, I like your idea of yelling "You're welcome" at the parents if the kids don't say thank you. I actually thought about it a few times, but I don't think the parents spoke much English anyway (Okay, okay... I pussied out).

We actually have decided that next year we're going to invest in two 'levels' of candy or treats. We'll buy our regular candy (not the miniatures but that next size up of 100 Grand, Kit-Kats, Reese's Cups, etc.) and then we're going to pick up full size candy bars or Beanie Babies for the handful of kids that are polite.

[Warhammer]

Our 5 year old who is now fully into Halloween was on a mission this year. Running from door to door to collect the sweet nectar of the gods. Being at the street and not hearing any "Thank you!"s we started calling from the street to say that. From that point on, as he was running between houses he would yell, "I said, 'Thank you!' I said, 'Thank you!'" It was hysterical to watch.

The my older son (7 yrs) ditched his Boba Fett mask 20 minutes in and went around as a Candy Raider.