Halloween- do I hand out candy or let kids take from the bowl when they come to do the door?

[Anonymous]

If you’ve ever watched “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” you will have it ingrained in your mind that long-standing American tradition is that the person who opens the door in response to “Tricks or Treats!!!” is the one who handles the candy!

And half the “fun” is surveying the haul later to see what kind you got,
(For Charlie Brown, the repeating and always hilariously sad punchline was his declaration after each house: “I got a ROCK!”
Now that’s comedy gold!

And I think we need to normalize giving a mystery selection of candy, apples, gum, chocolate bars, and ROCKS to kids! Lol! Seriously hilarious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We get so many kids we just stand outside handing out 2 to each kid and there are STILL lines on the sidewalk at peak ToT time. If we let them pick their candy it would back up even more. So I think this all depends on the situation.

This is our house as well. We get so many kids there's no way I'm waiting for each one to pick something out. Open your bag and I throw it in. Now if a kid asks for a particular candy I will give it to them if I see it but I'm not waiting while you ponder all 3,203 choices. Get your candy and move along.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’ve ever watched “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” you will have it ingrained in your mind that long-standing American tradition is that the person who opens the door in response to “Tricks or Treats!!!” is the one who handles the candy!

And half the “fun” is surveying the haul later to see what kind you got,
(For Charlie Brown, the repeating and always hilariously sad punchline was his declaration after each house: “I got a ROCK!”
Now that’s comedy gold!

And I think we need to normalize giving a mystery selection of candy, apples, gum, chocolate bars, and ROCKS to kids! Lol! Seriously hilarious.

I know! However our police sent out a message today telling kids and parents to throw out anything not wrapped and sealed completely. Any tiny holes or unsealed is trash.
When I was a kid, there’d be homemade caramel apples rolled in peanuts and yes, rocks, and little airplanes made with rubber bands and various unsealed candies, brownies still warm from the oven, mmmm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I now hand it out.

One time greedy little kids grabbed with such force that half of the candy dumped down on the floor. Then they treated it like a piñata. I learned my lesson!

Ahahaha that’s kinda funny

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’ve ever watched “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” you will have it ingrained in your mind that long-standing American tradition is that the person who opens the door in response to “Tricks or Treats!!!” is the one who handles the candy!

And half the “fun” is surveying the haul later to see what kind you got,
(For Charlie Brown, the repeating and always hilariously sad punchline was his declaration after each house: “I got a ROCK!”
Now that’s comedy gold!

And I think we need to normalize giving a mystery selection of candy, apples, gum, chocolate bars, and ROCKS to kids! Lol! Seriously hilarious.

Every year I sneak a rock in one handful

[Anonymous]

I let the younger kids pick 2. But hand out 2 each to the mobs of older kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’ve ever watched “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” you will have it ingrained in your mind that long-standing American tradition is that the person who opens the door in response to “Tricks or Treats!!!” is the one who handles the candy!

And half the “fun” is surveying the haul later to see what kind you got,
(For Charlie Brown, the repeating and always hilariously sad punchline was his declaration after each house: “I got a ROCK!”
Now that’s comedy gold!

And I think we need to normalize giving a mystery selection of candy, apples, gum, chocolate bars, and ROCKS to kids! Lol! Seriously hilarious.

I know! However our police sent out a message today telling kids and parents to throw out anything not wrapped and sealed completely. Any tiny holes or unsealed is trash.
When I was a kid, there’d be homemade caramel apples rolled in peanuts and yes, rocks, and little airplanes made with rubber bands and various unsealed candies, brownies still warm from the oven, mmmm

Ahh, the Mayberry poster chiming in. Our police have better things to do.

[Anonymous]

we get maybe 30-50 trick or treaters, so I give out handfuls at a time. as the night dwindles down I give out more and more to get rid of the candy.

[Anonymous]

I let them choose and have a wide selection- which is probably problematic for the younger ones. But I admit it - I buy a variety because I like to eat them : )

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I now hand it out.

One time greedy little kids grabbed with such force that half of the candy dumped down on the floor. Then they treated it like a piñata. I learned my lesson!

Ahahaha that’s kinda funny

I had a similar experience. Now I hold out a small bowl for them to choose from and refill it.

[Anonymous]

I let them pick 3 each- the fun chocolate back from Costco.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’ve ever watched “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” you will have it ingrained in your mind that long-standing American tradition is that the person who opens the door in response to “Tricks or Treats!!!” is the one who handles the candy!

And half the “fun” is surveying the haul later to see what kind you got,
(For Charlie Brown, the repeating and always hilariously sad punchline was his declaration after each house: “I got a ROCK!”
Now that’s comedy gold!

And I think we need to normalize giving a mystery selection of candy, apples, gum, chocolate bars, and ROCKS to kids! Lol! Seriously hilarious.

I know! However our police sent out a message today telling kids and parents to throw out anything not wrapped and sealed completely. Any tiny holes or unsealed is trash.
When I was a kid, there’d be homemade caramel apples rolled in peanuts and yes, rocks, and little airplanes made with rubber bands and various unsealed candies, brownies still warm from the oven, mmmm

Ahh, the Mayberry poster chiming in. Our police have better things to do.

I remember my mom going through my candy in the 70s and throwing away anything homemade or not sealed… the dangers razor blades and drugs.

I was always so bummed when she tossed the candle apples and popcorn balls. To this day I’ve never had a popcorn ball.

I shared that story with my kid, now as an adult I’m thinking how absurd, I mean drugs are expensive, so what are the chances anyone spikes kids popcorn balls with drugs… not to mention would the kind of person who drugs kids really go to the trouble of making homemade popcorn balls???

[Anonymous]

I usually have 4 or 5 kinds in a giant bowl and give out 4 pieces, with an effort to give a variety in the handful I toss at the kid (some chocolate, some sour patch or skittles).

First Halloween in a new neighborhood and apparently DH estimated that 100s of kids would come. I probably could have just told them to grab as much as they wanted.

[Anonymous]

We give a handful to every child. I'm glad we don't live in a popular neighborhood because it means we can be more generous with candy (and our neighbors also all give the kids a fistful of candy, they do well).

[Anonymous]

We hand it out. It’s 8:30 we’ve gone through 3 giant Costco bags and kids are still coming. It takes way too long if you let kids pick.