How do you hand out candy on Halloween?

[K9soul]

I'm curious, for those of you handing out candy to trick or treaters, how you hand it out? I prefer to pick out a few pieces and portion it out rather than offer the bowl, because if I offer the bowl and kids start taking handfuls of candy I'm afraid I'll run out too early. I know not all kids would do that but you never can tell which will. I suppose at the same time if you offer the bowl they can pick out something they like for sure. Most of the kids didn't seem to care when I picked out the candy to give them (I usually have 3 or 4 different kinds and try to give a couple different kinds at least), but a couple while I was picking up some pieces just reached out for the bowl to take what they wanted.

So I started wondering how most others tend to do it. It's been quite a few years since I have lived in a place that received trick or treaters.

[Catty1]

I live in a second-floor apt condo, so I get to miss it!

Two people in Calgary have been innovative - city pools have donated a number of swim passes for people to give out instead of candy - and the mother of a diabetic girl has set up some sort of exchange - candy for dollar store items, movie passes, etc.

Kind of cool!

[Pam]

I choose the pieces myself for the same reason that you do. Unfortunately they have stopped coming now and I am left with way too much candy so I should have just let them dig in. Now I will have to hide it from myself or else take it into work for my co-workers to feast on. The worst part of Halloween is trying to get the dogs to relax. When there is a knock at the door my house sounds like a kennel.

[slleipnir]

I pick them out and give it to them. I went to my friends last year and helped her hand out candy, and she had a bowl on a table. Some (younger) kids would just keep putting candy in their bags til their parents told them not to lol! Most of the older kids either took one or 2 or ask how many they could take.

[K9soul]

I choose the pieces myself for the same reason that you do. Unfortunately they have stopped coming now and I am left with way too much candy so I should have just let them dig in. Now I will have to hide it from myself or else take it into work for my co-workers to feast on.

LOL I think if I get any more tonight I'll let them dig in because I have not even gone through half my candy yet. And I have no work to take it into since I work from home! Admittedly I bought quite a bit because I didn't know how much of a crowd to expect. But I picked out kinds most people tend to enjoy, i.e. M&Ms, Reeses, Starburst. I'm sure I can pawn off some on my stepfather when he and my mom make it home again though. In my experience it's rare for a man to refuse sweets when they are offered .

[RobiLee]

Hi Jess,

I pick out the pieces and hand them out myself. I always sit on the porch steps so the little ones can get to me easily and I give them the candy. I have been doing the trick or treating thing for a long time and know that if you just let them pick thier own they will either grab a bunch or sort through it forever trying to decide what they want and hold up the line...lol.

Did you enjoy passing out candy tonite? How did the dogs do?

Katie and Tori are usually inside when I pass out the candy but this time my girlfriend took Tori with her so Katie got to come out and pass out candy with me. She was so good and a huge hit! Everyone loved her. I think there was only one family that seemed a bit intimidated by her but other than that everyone seemed to be dog lovers tonite...lol. Katie got so many nice comments and lots of love from the kids.

My girlfriend came back and was amazed at all the comments Tori got. She got double compliments because she was walking around with her 3 month old baby girl and Tori. So she had people ooohhh and awwwwing over the baby and the husky...lol.

Ok, sorry to hijack your thread!

[K9soul]

Hey Robin! Not a hijack at all. I rushed like mad today trying to get all done with work by the time they started coming in LOL. I went ahead and gated my three in the back. Raven is social generally but I wasn't sure how she'd handle people in weird costumes . She can be intimidating to little kids if she's barking and growling and her hackles are up even though she's actually a big mush.

I just had a little boy come while I was posting this. Decided to just offer him the bowl but he picked out one tiny piece of candy LOL. So I told him "here you can have more than that" and gave him a few more. His mom reminded him to thank me. I enjoy the kids who are so well mannered.

Sounds like Tori was quite a hit! I used to sit out with the collies sometimes when I was younger. Nothing fazed them much. I think I'm going to have a lot of leftover candy

[RobiLee]

I will be taking my left overs to work like Pam...lol. I have one huge bag of what I call the "good stuff" that I never even had to open and I am so tempted to keep it here so I can pig out on it.

Don't eat those left overs all at once, Jess ...lol

[caseysmom]

I haven't got any yet but I usually get hundreds...I am ready and I pick out two pieces to give so I don't run out.

[ramanth]

If I ever have a house I plan to ask the neighbors if the area gets a lot of trick or treaters or not. If a lot, I'll ration the candy. If not, I'd let them pick or do a mix of both.

I was a shy trick or treater and even when the bowl was offered, I'd prefer to keep both hands on the bag and just take what was given.

My grandma prefers to hand out the candy while my mom just lets the kids pick.

[Taz_Zoee]

I said other. Because I think I will let the little ones choose for themselves. But I will give the older kids theirs. The older kids might grab HUGE handfuls.
My neighbors twins that have been the only ones so far got double from us. Because they came before I got home and then came again so I could see them.
Well, Zoee just had to be put outside. Kids are afraid to walk up to the door with her barking her head off. So now she's outside barking her head off. LOL

[Catty1]

[K9soul]

From the couple people I talked to there are usually LOTS of trick or treaters in this area, but my neighbor across the street stopped by tonight with his granddaughter and said there did not seem to be as many kids out as usual. Seems to be the trend elsewhere from what people have said here too. The weather is really pretty mild tonight, I wonder why there are fewer than usual out.

Anyway, that is why I was so loaded up on candy . Anyone want to come over and have some candy?

[caseysmom]

It really ticks me off when the parents want some...that happened quite a few times last year. Our little neighborhood gets hit real hard they drive in here, I don't really mind if they are coming to a safer neighborhood but it is a bit overwhelming, my daughter said at school they all say they are coming here to our area.

[Karen]

I put all the candy in a big bowl, and let the kids choose - I tell each one they can take two pieces, as they went through all the effort to climb the flight of stairs necessary to get to my porch. Some kids still only take one piece, and only occasionally does someone try to take more than two - and if that happens, usually another kid with him or her will say "Insert name here," she said TWO!"

37 trick-or-treaters this year!