Spin off - how much candy do you give out?

[Grace]

Marigold's topic about our favorite Halloween candy made me wonder how many kids come to our houses?

We live on a dead-end, private, dirt road with 19 houses. We haven't had a Halloween visitor in more than 10 years!! The first few years we lived here, we did get the girls from next door, and a couple from up the hill. They have all grown up, and there are no young ones any longer.

The house we lived in before this one - we moved in 2 weeks before Halloween. I asked my new neighbor how many kids came. She gave me the correct number, but didn't think to tell me they began arriving at 4pm!! In that village, the kids came around immediately after school. By 5:30, it was all over, and the kids gathered in a parking lot downtown for a party. Kept them off the streets and safe during the evening commute.

So what about at your house - how many and how much do you buy, and what kind of candy do you give out?

[luvofallhorses]

None. :o it's not that I don't want to - my dogs go nuts if people knock at the door. :rolleyes:

[Karen]

We have more children in the neighborhood now than when we first moved here. The neighborhood has undergone a generational change, as the elderly passed away, and new families moved in. Some of the families are also Orthodox Jewish, so their kids don't trick or treat, but the firs year we had six trick-or-treaters, and last year it was something like 23. Each kid gets to choose three pieces from the bowl, as they have to climb a whole flight of stairs that bends in the middle, just to get to me and the candy. Though we live in a city of about 85,000, our neighborhood is just really two streets that form a kind of "h" shape, so most people don't even know we exist!

And I always have dog biscuits as well, for Henry, Molly and any other canines, whether or not they are in costume.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Usually no one or they come by when I'm not at home. I live in a condo complex in a security building and the front doors are inside the buidling like a hotel. The children would have to live in the complex and there aren't very many children that live here. I never buy Halloween candy. If I did I'd end up eating it all myself.:) When I lived with my parents, I used to enjoy handing it out though.:)

[pomtzu]

None - never have in the almost 40 years since I've lived here.

I live on a country road, and the houses are quite a good distance apart. There doesn't seem to be many kids around anymore, and even the one's that live in the vicinity, don't go out. I think the parents settle more for parties now since it keeps the kids in and out of any trouble or harm.

[Medusa]

We have so many kids that I can never plan on how much candy to buy. I spent $60 year before last, $80 last year and I still ran out of candy an hour before trick or treating ended and had to turn out the lights. I go to Dollar General to buy it so it isn't as though I pay top dollar. Kids always prefer Twix so I buy all that I can get my hands on. If I can get it cheap enough, I give them a regular size candy bar. If not, they get a few mini bars. Part of the problem, I'm sure, is that kids from other neighborhoods come in, which isn't allowed, but it happens.

[moosmom]

I don't give any out because I live in a secured apartment building. Thank GOD!!!

[chocolatepuppy]

For many years, I decorated my front porch, dressed up and handed out candy. Trick or Treat was one hour. Then, they changed it to an hour and a half. Kids came in carloads, the fun was over. Too many kids! That extra half hour meant more stress with my furkids and watching no one escaped. Just wasn't worth it anymore.:(
Now I see they put it back to an hour, too late, I'm done. ;)

[BitsyNaceyDog]

We never get any kids either. Our road isn't a good trick-or-treating road. The houses are far apart and all back from the road. We always buy a very small bag of candy (something we like) just incase a kid stops by.

My parents, like Medusa, can easily spend a lot of money on candy and still run out. They live in a popular housing development where a lot of kids live. On top of that a lot of kids are literally trucked in. It's really a lot of fun, It's like a neighborhood party. Everyone was/is always really well behaved and there was never any trouble.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

We get lots of kids in our neighborhood. A lot of people go all-out for Halloween. Last year, I handed out candy so didn't see it first hand (but learned from my nephew), but apparently there were several little "haunted houses" people set up at their houses, and at one house, they even got chased by a guy with a chain saw. :eek:

Lyra will likely be asleep this Halloween, so we will stay home and hand out candy.

[Medusa]

I decorate my house more for Halloween than I do for Christmas. I have decorations all over my lawn, too. My neighbor dresses as a scarecrow and hangs himself from his lamppost and when people walk by, he scares them. He really scared me last year!

Beggars night lasts two hours here. If I run out of candy again this year, I think I'll keep the lights out and not pass out candy next year. Too expensive.

[Freedom]

Well over 300 IF I wanted to! I stop at 75. That is usually the local children, and the youngest ones.

We have them come by th ecar loads from down city PRovidence, up to age 18 and NO costumes. I refuse to cooperate.

I do not give out candy, never have. High bounce super balls, wooden airplanes, toothbrushes (NOT a big hit except with the parents!), activity books, stickers, coloring books. I order on line in Sept while the prices are still discounted.

[Medusa]

Anyone still give out popcorn balls? Gawd, I hated those things when I was a kid and soon learned which houses to avoid. Maybe they did it on purpose? ;)

[kokopup]

I live on a country road with a lot of distance between houses. Our house is also a good distance from the road and not visible either. When we first built our house 15 years ago we had a few kids come by but they have since grown up and now we don't get any trick or treaters. My wife decorates for ALL occasions and usually goes all out for Halloween. She buys all kinds of candy that is eventually eaten by her since I can't eat it. I ask her why we bother with buying candy when we have no takers, but she insist that you never know , therefore the candy is there.

[Alysser]

We get alot of kids here, ALOT of kids. Our neighborhood is very popular, this year I planned on sitting outside with Mikey and giving out candy because I didn't think I made Fright Fest, and I didn't want to trick or treat. I did last year though :o But low and behold I DID make Fright Fest and am working this halloween. I get paid to scare the crap outta people all night, sounds much better then what I originally planned even though I love my pup. :D

My mom lost count last year of how many people we got. She stopped somewhere around 66

[Medusa]

I become annoyed at teenagers w/no costumes. They just stand there, don't say "trick or treat", as though they just expect me to run to the door and bestow candy upon them. I always loved Halloween and I was 14 the last time I went begging. W/out exception, every adult reemed me for it, told me that I was too old and and to grow up. I felt awful because I didn't know there was an age limit. (Now that I think of it, I don't know how they guessed my age. I was still under 5' tall and weighed around 89 lbs. then.) I was very inventive w/my costume, too. I went as a clown but you should've seen my make up. Outstanding! Anyhow, now I know how they felt except that I said "trick or treat", I didn't just stand there as though I was brain dead, and I always said "thank you". Most of the kids here are polite, I must add, but there are the exceptions and it makes me wonder if I don't give candy to them that I may find my windows soaped and my trees TP'd next morning.

[sirrahbed]

We have a pretty steady stream for the two hours they call "Beggar's Night" in or community. On my block there are mostly retirees but the surrounding platte has lots of young families. We also have an abundance of grandparents who take their grandkids around:) I like the holiday and it is fun to hand out candy especially if the weather is nice - hubby and I will sit on the porch with our pumpkins. I usually but about 5-6 big bags of candy.

[Edwina's Secretary]

We have three big bags of candy. I enjoy giving it out. Some of the kids are from the neighborhood, some are not. I insist they say "Trick or Treat."

I also give name brand candy. Two reasons - it is what I liked when I was a kid and I think it a good thing if the neighborhood kids think "nice" people live there...:D:rolleyes:;):D

[Genny]

We've had a few trick-or-treaters, but we usually aren't home cause we carry my little brother and niece to trick-or-treat--so we don't ever buy extra candy to give out-if some kids happen to stop by we just hand out candy that we had bought for ourselves which is usually candy bars and m&m's!!!

[IRescue452]

I just moved into my complex this year so don't know how many kids, but I'd guess a few hundred. I was going to get candy, but then of course the neighbor kids above me are loud and annoying as heck far too early for me and their parents don't seem to make any attempt to be respectful to their neighbors. Probably lived in a single house for a long time before this economy struck. I'm not rewarding their kids.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

We don't get too many trick-or-treaters here... but there are a lot of younger kids here, so I don't get it! We weren't home last year, so I could be wrong for this year.

I too believe that you are too old to trick-or-treat once you hit 12-13. I hate the teenagers that dress all skanky and still ask for candy.:rolleyes:

[Karen]

Anyone taller than me ( I am 5'6") has to be in costume, and with a younger kid, and everyone has to say "trick or treat!" - most parents make their kids say "thank you," if the kids don;t remember to do it, which they usually do!

[Seravieve]

We live in a Patio Home area... Lots of buildings with 6 attached units. No reason for people to not come by.. the front doors are 10 feet apart! That's nothing compared to when I used to go in my mom's subdivision.. where the lots are about .25-.5 acres each.

We didn't get any last year! And the year before that we had maybe 2 or 3. There's several kids around here too. And our patio home area is inside of a large, well established subdivision... so it's rather surprising to me that we don't get any Trick or Treaters. Guess it's ok though.. we sold all of our candy today at the local Flea market! =) Maybe we'll give out packs of Trident if anyone comes by.. Have a few left over from the flea market.

I always liked the people who put out a cooler and gave out sodas. Of course, that's because we never had much soda growing up, and if we did, it was always diet. Such is life. =)

[Cataholic]

I can never tell how many kids will come, and I have been here 9 years. I like Halloween, all the neighbors sit out and talk. Like the last conversation until spring.

J likes to walk up and down our block, then head back to hand out candy.

[IRescue452]

Anyone else give out dog treats to people who bring their dogs?

[pomtzu]

Anyone else give out dog treats to people who bring their dogs?

Believe it or not, when I was a little kid and my brothers took me out trick or treating, we came home with dog biscuits that someone was giving out in bags to the kids in place of candy. My parents were furious, and it's a good thing we couldn't identity which house they came from. Guess that's not as bad as some of the other horror stories that you would hear of - like needles or razor blades in apples, etc. Makes you wonder what makes some people tick! :mad:

When my kids were little and would go out, they were only allowed to keep things like candy bars or packs of gum - no loose candy or cookies and the like. It's a shame that's the way it has to be because of a few sickos!

[lvpets2002]

:) None == Never to do on Saturday Night due to more Hoodlums out then.. Pluss I Do Not Do Halloween anymore due to my Babies.. They just can not handle the doorbell & all of the noisess.. We will sit quite thru the night hopefully.. Even with the front door locked & all the lights out = there will still be some idiots slam on the door knocking & ringing the door bell.. :rolleyes:

[Trinityagain]

When we bought our house in 94 I gave out candy...and I think the following 2 years as well. We live at just about the top of a fairly steep hill. First year we got a good number of kids, the second year it dropped back a bit and the third year I froze my butt off and got about...10 kids, if that, so I gave up.

[cassiesmom]

Usually no one or they come by when I'm not at home. I live in a condo complex in a security building and the front doors are inside the buidling like a hotel. The children would have to live in the complex and there aren't very many children that live here. I never buy Halloween candy. If I did I'd end up eating it all myself.:) When I lived with my parents, I used to enjoy handing it out though.:)

That's how my building is, too. There used to be a family with three children down the hall from me, but they've moved to a house. The family with the 2-year-old is moving to Kendall County this week, so no kids in my building. So, none.

The neighborhood my mom and dad live in has trick-or-treat hours, 3 to 6 PM. They don't answer the door before 3 or after 6. When I was little you didn't go to the house unless the porch light was on, but that rule is long gone.

[IRescue452]

Believe it or not, when I was a little kid and my brothers took me out trick or treating, we came home with dog biscuits that someone was giving out in bags to the kids in place of candy. My parents were furious, and it's a good thing we couldn't identity which house they came from. Guess that's not as bad as some of the other horror stories that you would hear of - like needles or razor blades in apples, etc. Makes you wonder what makes some people tick!


And you didn't have a dog with you? I usually hand the treats to people who have dogs with them. I get treats like Milkbone because they have the indent of the name in the treat and people typically recognize what they are so there's no confusing people who are picky about what treats they'll allow their dogs to have (I know milkbone is not the greatest but its trick or treating).

[pomtzu]

And you didn't have a dog with you? I usually hand the treats to people who have dogs with them. I get treats like Milkbone because they have the indent of the name in the treat and people typically recognize what they are so there's no confusing people who are picky about what treats they'll allow their dogs to have (I know milkbone is not the greatest but its trick or treating).

Nope, no dog. Just some hateful individual who was too cheap to buy candy, or maybe just didn't like kids. :mad:

[aTailOf2Kitties]

I have found that the number of trick-or-treaters is inversely proportional to the amount of candy I buy. So I end up buying a bunch of candy that I like because I'm likely to be the only one eating it ;)

[Twisterdog]

I live in a tiny town, 220 people. Every kid in town goes to every house, every year. We all know each other here. The adults have as much fun gabbing with their neighbors as the kids do trick-or-treating. Some people make homemade treats for the kids ... really. One little old lady makes cupcakes every year, with the all the kids' names on them.

So I probably get 100 kids a year, and I give them each a huge handful or two. I buy tons of candy, and everyone else does, too.

As it should be, IMO.

[Pinot's Mom]

We live in a medium sized development, BUT, our driveway is a private road with four houses and it's a pretty good pitch downhill. It gets pretty dark down there for kids, I think, and we don't get a huge number. The neighborhood has a party at the playground/park area and then the kids go from there, but it's supposed to be over by 7:45 I think (we have no children).

My husband usually buys about 4 bags of candy bars; we generally go through most of that. He sits out front with his monster feet and hands on, with a big metal bowl of candy; I feel bad for him when we get basically no kids - he really looks forward to it!

[Taz_Zoee]

My dogs also go nuts when people come to the door. But we still hand out candy. We usually only get 10 or less trick-or-treaters. We have three kids and one baby in the court, but others come from around. The court is rather dark so they are discouraged from coming in. Which is too bad because our house is always decorated all spooky for Halloween. But we also have an adult Halloween Party, so that is fun! :D

[K9karen]

When we first moved here in the early 70's, we had a lot of kids. There's an elementary school on the corner, so maybe that was why. As the years went by, we got less kids. Our block are single homes and a longer space for the kids to walk between houses. A block or 2 away, there are attached homes and smaller homes so the kids don't have to go far to get to another house. I used to T or T with my niece when she was a kid and I even went to the other blocks, where the adults hung out outside and talked and drank beer. Tons of kids. Chased by a gorilla and monsters! The last 10 years, I got 4-6 kids.
I always gave out regular sized candy bars, knowing I'd wind up with more than half left over. I hated Halloween because it drove Cody nuts and we had to lock him in a room for hours. :( Logan barks but wants to participate and meet everyone.

This year, mainly because I haven't called an electrician yet to rewire my porch light, we're going to the grandkids house and walking with them and taking turns giving out goodies. .

[cassiesmom]

Has anyone ever heard of a trunk-or-treat? One of the churches I pass on the way to work is having one this year. I had never heard of it, so I looked it up on about.com.

Holding a Trunk-or-Treat Halloween activity is a great way to keep Halloween safe. What is a Trunk-or-Treat? It's when several families get together at the church building, park their cars in the parking lot, open up the trunks of their cars, and kids come around to each car to Trunk-or-Treat instead of going house to house to Trick-or-Treat.

Let people know the estimated number of children that will be there so they can know how much candy to bring.
If Halloween is on a Sunday you can hold the Trunk-or-Treat activity on Saturday the 30th.
Those who don't have trunks (or cars) can also hand out candy by standing in-between the cars.
People can even decorate their cars!