ProudGrandma Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 what do you give? I am thinking of NOT handing out candy this year, but I am not sure. So I was curious if I was alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Play-Doh. Costco sells big packs of the small tubs at this time of year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 We gave out small bags of pretzels and juice boxes one year. Amazing how many of them were ditched in our shrubs. :glare: I always wonder if other non-candy-giving families have had similar experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 We gave out small bags of pretzels and juice boxes one year. Amazing how many of them were ditched in our shrubs. :glare: I always wonder if other non-candy-giving families have had similar experiences. I'm remembering my own trick-or-treating days, and the dentists who gave out toothbrushes were, shall we say, not treated. But we gave out goldfish crackers one year and nobody seemed to seek vengeance. And the Play Doh sounds fab; who doesn't like Play Doh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted September 11, 2011 Author Share Posted September 11, 2011 We gave out small bags of pretzels and juice boxes one year. Amazing how many of them were ditched in our shrubs. :glare: I always wonder if other non-candy-giving families have had similar experiences. really?? How rude. But I wondered if I would have the same experience. What I was considering was hot chocolate packs, mini micro popcorn or fruit snacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam Wilhelm Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 We don't give out anything.....close and lock the door, turn off the light and go out back for our own Harvest Party. .... campfire, cookout, pinata, games, singing and laughing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHowell Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I buy those cheap toy boxes from Oriental Trading. Stickers, spider rings and junk like that. It's cheap and kids like that stuff. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Honestly, I'd probably just give out candy. I remember that when I received bags of pretzels, goldfish, etc when I was a kid, it would just get thrown away when I got home. Kids are looking for candy on Halloween. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltop Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Over the years we've handed out playdoh, glow bracelets, spider rings, pretzels, wikki stix party favor packs, and fruit snacks. The playdoh and the glow bracelets were the biggest hits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I give out candy. But, I also give out pencils, spider rings, eyeball rings, vampire teeth, stuff like that. I give away goldfish to toddlers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veggiegal Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 There's an option here to give out vouchers for a free swim at any City of Calgary pool. They cost about 50 cents each, but are one of the few non-candy things kids seem happy to receive. Anything like that in your area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevilla Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Depending on how many ToT'ers you get, I would hand out quarters (or two nickels) apiece. What kid doesn't like money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Little bags of teddy graham type snacks for the toddlers. Candy for the big kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swirl Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 We always go back to our little home town to trick-or-treat. There is one house in town that is famous for giving out giant pickles. You always have to stand in line. :D One house gave out juice boxes last year. The lady was dressed as a witch and had them in a big black pot that she was pretending to stir. People seemed to really like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I usually have a choice between candy and a healthier snack. Goldfish and chips are a big hit in my neighborhood, as well as juice. It is still warm here on Halloween so I find many kids are glad for a drink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Pretzels, chips, play-doh, temporary tattoos. Costco usually has several choices in non-candy treats. My son is peanut-allergic so can't eat a lot of what he gets. That made me more aware and we switched to a variety of other things. The year I had pencils mixed in and they got to choose the item, the pencils were a hit (Halloween themed ones). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swirl Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Kids are looking for candy on Halloween. When I was a kid there was one man in town that give out whole candy bars- not those little snack bars- BIG ONES. He had many different kinds too and he didn't even care if it took you forever to choose. He was famous throughout the land. I think it was even mentioned at his funeral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Back in the day my dad had one of those huge movie-theater style popcorn machines that he would roll to the front door and just keep the door open and pass out bags of fresh popcorn. Of course, that was when everyone knew everyone in the neighborhood and there wasn't as much concern about open food being handed out. Trick or treating was more like a big block party. I don't know that you can do stuff like that anymore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS in LA Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 We don't give out anything.....close and lock the door, turn off the light and go out back for our own Harvest Party. .... campfire, cookout, pinata, games, singing and laughing. Nice to know we're not the only ones! We turn off all the lights and hide out, eating a candlelight picnic in the living room. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam Wilhelm Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Nice to know we're not the only ones! We turn off all the lights and hide out, eating a candlelight picnic in the living room. :D Phew! I was beginning to think I was the only "grump" here. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Another thing you can do is give out certificates for a Jr. size Frosty at Wendy's. I think some other fast food places do stuff like that too. We always give out candy, though -- the good stuff (chocolate). Dh & ds always look forward to eating any leftovers. :lol: (And we usually can't stock up ahead of time or dh & ds would eat it all ahead of time.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Another thing you can do is give out certificates for a Jr. size Frosty at Wendy's. I think some other fast food places do stuff like that too. We always give out candy, though -- the good stuff (chocolate). Dh & ds always look forward to eating any leftovers. :lol: (And we usually can't stock up ahead of time or dh & ds would eat it all ahead of time.) Heh. That's the eternal question..do you buy candy you like so you can have leftovers, or candy you don't like so you're not tempted? I envy everybody's trick-or-treaters. We live in the boonies at the end of a dark, dead-end street. Haven't had anyone come to the door on Halloween in the entire time we've lived here. And I still have to buy a bag of candy, just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Sprouted lentils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nutella08 Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 When I was little, the man who gave out a nickel to each kid was extremely popular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy in Indy Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I don't give out anything...I gave out candy for years, but I got tired of buying candy for the 350 kids that showed up at my doorstep every year--kids I don't know. (They bus them to our neighborhood...) Two years ago I decided I just wasn't participating. It was so freeing to turn out the light that night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I think I would have loved a bag of chips or playdoh or some such as a kid! I usually give out halloween-themed bags of pretzels I get at Costco. I assumed the kids liked them!?! I also gave out Halloween pencils one year, but my husband and friends gave me so much grief about that - even though I thought they were great! My kids love a cool new pencil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Sprouted lentils. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Back in the day my dad had one of those huge movie-theater style popcorn machines that he would roll to the front door and just keep the door open and pass out bags of fresh popcorn. Of course, that was when everyone knew everyone in the neighborhood and there wasn't as much concern about open food being handed out. Trick or treating was more like a big block party. I don't know that you can do stuff like that anymore? There is a man up the street from us that has one of the older style hot dog machines and he gives out hot dogs and hot chocolate on Halloween. Trick or Treat is huge here. In the two hours, we usually see in the neighborhood of 250-300 kids. We usually give out candy but I may consider Oriental Trading this year. Even cheap candy for that many kids can be a bank breaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunD Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I hand out microwave popcorn and temporary tattoos. Both are big hits with the parents and the kids. We usually have people waiting in line and always run out, no matter how much I buy. (This is at a Trunk-or-Treat party, since we live out in the country.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Sam's use to sell mini pots of play-doh. We gave those out while in the US one year. We also gave out mini pouches of Animal Crackers another year. :) Rarely did we give out candy, it just wasn't something we purchased much of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Thankfully we live in a neighborhood with only 24 houses and we all live on at least 2 acres where our houses are set back pretty far and it is dark and a LONG way to walk up to the house. No one comes here for Halloween. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 We get about 800 trick or treaters every year. More when the weather is good, a bit less when it's raining. Is there an alternative that's as inexpensive as candy? Ugh- I just want to go away for the night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beauty From Ashes Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 (edited) We don't give out candy because we don't know allergies in kids. Having a child that, if he grabbed one and ate it before we got home, it would be bad makes us more aware. We give out safe items. So far no retaliation. I would seriously discipline my kids if they did that. Talk about ungrateful for free stuff from strangers. We give out things similar to those listed above: rings, bracelets, etc. Edited September 11, 2011 by Beauty From Ashes Forgot to add those things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma2three Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I give kids a choice of candy or play dough. They actually usually go for the play dough: only the older kids pick the candy. And I give out full sized candy bars, too! One year, a parent came to my door the day after Halloween to specifically thank me for giving out play-dough. His child had some severe food allergies, so almost all of the candy had to be thrown away. That was something I hadn't even thought of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I leave a big container of candy on the steps with a note to take 2 pieces. When it is gone it is gone. Its too difficult with barking dog and cats to keep opening the door. Why dont you want to give out candy? I figure its Halloween and its your one day to go crazy. Any non-candy my kids get goes back into our container at the front door to be taken by other kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 We usually have some candy on hand, but we put it in a big plastic cauldron with lots of little items like cute pencils and little whistles and glow sticks and stickers and spider rings and whatever. I order from Oriental Trading most years for our church's Halloween party, and I just order some extra stuff for us. Sometimes, if I'm really on the ball, I make up little goodie bags with two or three small items. I can tell you that the vast majority of kids who come to the door much prefer the non-food items. We usually run out of that stuff well before the candy is gone. The same thing happens at our church. We have trick or treating around the religious education courtyard. We ask that attendees bring a bag of treats (candy or otherwise) to contribute, and then we break it up into buckets for each door in the complex. Because my kids and one of their friends do not eat the candy (vegans and allergies), I always contribute a large batch of non-food items and make sure there is a stash of them at each door. We often have trouble retaining enough of them to give to the kids who need them, because the other kids are so desperate to get their hands on the stuff. Candy is by far the cheapest alternative, which is part of why we usually have some in the mix for our own household give-aways. But I do like to make sure there are options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Why dont you want to give out candy? I figure its Halloween and its your one day to go crazy. Any non-candy my kids get goes back into our container at the front door to be taken by other kids. We are more conscious about giving out food because we know many kids who have assorted issues with it. My own kids are vegan. They've never been trick or treating in any venue other than our church's Halloween party, because we knew they wouldn't be able to eat anything they collected. But there are lots of other challenges, too. For example, my son's long-time best friend has multiple severe food and contact allergies. We used to participate in a homeschool group in which there was a pair of sisters, one of whom was diabetic and the other of whom had celiac. So, we are very aware and work hard to be inclusive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I actually saw a big package of tiny hand sanitizer bottles with a Halloween design on them. Homegoods had them yesterday. That was a little odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefly Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 We're in the sticks and don't get any trick or treaters, unfortunately. We usually go to one of our DCs friend's who lives in a big neighborhood. Anyway, last year the mom gave away Silly Bandz and they were a HUGE hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristinaBreece Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 We give out nothing. We take the kiddos to my parents' neighborhood to ToT. DH & I both go with them, while my folks give out fruit snacks, hot chocolate packets, and Goldfish. The neighbors all make up little special bags for the "regular" neighborhood grand kids (mostly older people live there, and it's a more affluent area, so a lot of people "commute" there for ToT), and the kids get those bags from the people on Grandma's street, and mostly candy/play-do/pretzels/rings from the houses further out in the neighborhood where they're not known. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Small bags of chips. They are very well received by parents and kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeidiKC Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 We get about 800 trick or treaters every year. More when the weather is good, a bit less when it's raining. Is there an alternative that's as inexpensive as candy? Ugh- I just want to go away for the night. 800????? What time does it start and end? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I did the pretzel bags one year.....pencils...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Thankfully we live in a neighborhood with only 24 houses and we all live on at least 2 acres where our houses are set back pretty far and it is dark and a LONG way to walk up to the house. No one comes here for Halloween. Dawn Similar situation (and sentiment) here. We live in a somewhat rural area and we never get trick-or-treaters Our house isn't visible from the road. We've never purchased Halloween candy except for our own consumption--purchased November 1 at Walmart or Kroger. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristin0713 Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I'm going to out myself as another Halloween scrooge :blushing: Pre-kids, I used to turn off the lights and hide. We are also rarely home because Halloween is my Dad's birthday so usually we go to my parents' house for dinner. Now that we have kids, I have softened up to Halloween because of how excited they get to dress up and go ToT'ing. I still have lots of issues with buying candy, though. I don't want to give out all that junk. I don't want to waste money on something that many families will end up throwing out. I also don't want to leave a bowl on the porch that may get cleaned out by a few greedy kids. So...we turn off the lights and go to my parents' house for dinner, take the kids to about 10 houses, and call it a night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dina in Oklahoma Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 We don't give out anything.....close and lock the door, turn off the light and go out back for our own Harvest Party. .... campfire, cookout, pinata, games, singing and laughing. Ditto !!! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I have neighbors that hand out caprisun, animal crackers, snack size bags of chips, spider rings, stickers etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginevra Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 This is weird to me. ToTing is for candy. My own kids have gotten little bags of pretzels, popcorn balls, goldfish crackers, glow jewelry and play-dough, and those are all fine, no complaints. But it would seem like a total kill-joy to me if it were mostly non-candy. It's similar to pinatas at parties where the filler is all whistles, rings and other plastic junk. Sorry. Those are just a super downer. Having said that, we don't give out candy because we live on the main road, a quarter mile back in the woods. There's no chance someone will come to our house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleWMN Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 One of my kids is gluten free this year, so Halloween will be a little different. I've done stickers and pencils before. I've done the big popcorn balls. I like the fruit snack idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 800????? What time does it start and end? Generally runs from 5:30 until 8. It's a madhouse, complete with walking police patrols. Some people really get into it, and in years with warm weather, we top 1000 visitors. It's just annoying that people come here from OTHER TOWNS and expect me to provide candy. Doubly annoying that the police encourage it. Gosh, I sound really cranky. I really enjoyed Halloween when my kids were little- one of us took the kids out while the other stayed home to hand out candy. We didn't think it was fair to go out but not give candy out. I've done my time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.