Thread: What would YOU do?

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This past year, I had a lot of teenagers come to my house trick or treating in just black clothes or just wearing a mask. Half of them didn't even say "Trick or Treat". Instead, they would just stand there with their school backpack open, waiting for me to drop candy in.
Even some adults do this!

My question is: Would YOU turn them away, or just hand them the candy anyway? I typically give them the candy anyway, but not happily. They are ruining my favorite holiday!

I have no prob. turning them away. I tell them that if they can't put effort into dressing up then I'm not putting any effort into dropping candy into whatever they are holding. I usually don't have this prob. since most of the children around here know what I will do. You have to set a standard or they think they can just walk all over you. For the parents we offer bottles of beer or warm cider so we don't have a prob. with them wanting candy if they bring their children around dressed up.

I make them say "trick or treat" or they don't get anything. You can also have different kinds of candy for the older kids/adults. We have candy bars for the kids and cheapo tootsie rolls or suckers for adults and older kids. What you're experiencing is commonplace for a lot of us. We get a lot of older kids and adults who TOT but more likely freeloading. Everyone gets a treat but you can vary the quality depending on who it is.

I would set aside some 'special' candy for those types - last year's candy kisses from Christmas, broken candy canes...just to name a few.

OMG, I love the idea of left over candy canes! I'm going to save a bunch from this year. The cheap candy idea is great. I'll have to try that one.

We have a rule, they do a turn or they get nothing, even if it is only one out of the group who sings a song or tells a joke, they have to at least make an attempt. I also dont give candy to kids who are not dressed up (unless it is an older sibling on guard duty and then I ensure they get something purely for the embressment of having to escort the younger one around.)

I am willing to risk rotton eggs to enforce this rule as you get nothing for nothing in this life and kids have the best jokes!

I LOVE the idea of the broken candy canes too. Haha.
I'm thinking of making sign for the front yard: "Rules for Trick or Treating."

I give the ones who refuse to dress up an extra fright, like chase after them into the streets to harass another poor soul. I have no sympathy for those who don't keep with the spirit.

For teenagers that come bearing hands only for treats they get a slight hand candy switch. They think they are getting the good stuff when all it is is one piece of bubble gum .What burns my behind is the parents that come up with babies and buckets for candy for the baby or they send their older children up with pails for their 3 month old baby sister/brother .

I usually hand out sweets to everyone but hand out more depending on how much effort they have put into their costumes. I couldn't bear the thought of giving kids bad memories of Halloween, not getting any sweeties etc.