Trick or Treaters with no costume?

[Angelhalo]

I give them candy but I'm not happy about it. I can't stand the teens who amble up in jeans and a tshirt. They should go buy their own flippin candy. But, I don't want my house egged or tp'd so I just give them one piece instead of a handful.

 

[Angelhalo]

We live in a less than wealthy neighborhood, so a lot of kids simply cannot afford a costume (well, their parents can't). I give out candy regardless.. you make the effort to knock on my door, you get some sweets!

I just don't buy this explanation. Wear your pajamas and say you're going as a kid at a sleepover. Wear a bunch of mix and matched clothes and say you're going as dirty laundry. Wear a jersey or sports tee shirt and say you're a football fan. It doesn't take money to dress up for Halloween. Just two seconds of effort which it seems more kids are less and less willing to do. It's just more and more of the entitlement feeling. I'm walking up a driveway, so I deserve candy because it's Halloween. And these suckers are giving it to me, so why should I bother with making an effort? Blah! Halloween is about dressing up!

We had no money when we were growing up. We had a lot of half-butted costumes (parent's couldn't afford much if anything), but by golly we were dressed up in some way or another or we weren't allowed to go trick or treating.

 

[golfgal]

I usually say "let me guess, you are dressed up like a teenager", they laugh, I dump some candy in their bag.

 

[krcit]

Show up, get candy.
Life's too short to get all worked up over trick orr treating....

I have been known to call over a group of teens walking by and ask if they want any candy. They are always polite and grateful.

 

[bdoyledimou]

I just comment on how the ones without a costume have the scariest costume ever, and inquire on how they make the look so lifelike

 

[S. C.]

I really don't have the time or inclination to set up a bunch of rules over who is going to get handed a couple of bite sized snickers from my pumpkin shaped candy bowl.

Show up, get candy. That's pretty much how we handle it.

I agree!

 

[luvmy3]

I remember a thread like this last year, I can't believe people refuse to give candy, or give a lesser treat to someone because they aren't dressed up. I have to wonder what happened to you guys that made you like that?

 

[luvsJack]

I remember a thread like this last year, I can't believe people refuse to give candy, or give a lesser treat to someone because they aren't dressed up. I have to wonder what happened to you guys that made you like that?

I wonder this too and really want to know, what do you say to the kid that shows up in no costume? Do you all really say "no candy for you!"

 

[pixiewings71]

I just don't buy this explanation. Wear your pajamas and say you're going as a kid at a sleepover. Wear a bunch of mix and matched clothes and say you're going as dirty laundry. Wear a jersey or sports tee shirt and say you're a football fan. It doesn't take money to dress up for Halloween. Just two seconds of effort which it seems more kids are less and less willing to do. It's just more and more of the entitlement feeling. I'm walking up a driveway, so I deserve candy because it's Halloween. And these suckers are giving it to me, so why should I bother with making an effort? Blah! Halloween is about dressing up!

We had no money when we were growing up. We had a lot of half-butted costumes (parent's couldn't afford much if anything), but by golly we were dressed up in some way or another or we weren't allowed to go trick or treating.

When I was a kid we couldn't really afford costumes so for at least 3 years in a row I was a ghost, old school like Charlie Brown, I had a white sheet with eye holes cut in it. I loved that silly costume and so did every house I showed up at. As you say, it takes little effort to come up with a costume, it just seems like many people don't want to try, they just want candy.

i also remember as a kid that some neighbors would give me special treats because they knew me, but my friends who might be ToT with me got the stuff they were giving to everyone else. No one cared, it was candy, it was fun, there were no tricks from any of us.

I remember a thread like this last year, I can't believe people refuse to give candy, or give a lesser treat to someone because they aren't dressed up. I have to wonder what happened to you guys that made you like that?

Well I've never refused to give candy, nor do I give a "lesser" treat to anyone, I may give less pieces but it's the same candy for everyone, costumed or not.

 

[livie1205]

This is so sad....their really are people with issues out there huh? If I see a kid with no costume my thought would be maybe they can not afford one or something, I wouldnt care...they would still get candy (if we were able to give it out but we dont)

 

[disneyofcourse]

I give out candy to young kids maybe 10 and under with or without costumes. Now when I've got the "Gangster" dressed kids coming to my door and saying "Yo, Gimme candy" and throwing up gang signs or rapping lyrics that kids shouldn't be saying I tell them to go home or they get one piece of the crappy candy. But if the kids are nice and say at least trick or treat they get lots of candy.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

We get tons and tons of ToTers, many, I'd say half, without costumes. We live the town right next to the city and they come in by the carloads to ToT here where it is safer. I feel sorry for the ones without costumes. Several years ago my DD16 said it made her sad so we actually did a costumes drive. We collected probably 50 costumes and donated them to a school in the sity to give to kids the following Halloween. We wanted to make it a yearly event but the next year when we tried to do it again no one would accept the costumes and we wound up just having to donate them to the Goodwill.

I give them the same as any kid at my house. Personally I think if they can't afford the costumes they more then likely don't get many treats athome. Now, grown kids who don't wear costumes and are just going for free candy, that annoys me, but not as much as the adults who come. I keep a pack of DumDums for them.

 

[hereyago]

Maybe you should let her know about your city's ordinance on what age they need to stop. My city has a law that is a class 4 misdemeanor that over the age of 12 it is illegal to TOT.

 

[LisaR]

I give out candy to young kids maybe 10 and under with or without costumes. Now when I've got the "Gangster" dressed kids coming to my door and saying "Yo, Gimme candy" and throwing up gang signs or rapping lyrics that kids shouldn't be saying I tell them to go home or they get one piece of the crappy candy. But if the kids are nice and say at least trick or treat they get lots of candy.

I grew up in and around the Detroit area and spent most of my life in a fairly poor city. I have to say, I never recall people coming to the door the way that you describe. Interesting area you must live in.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I remember a thread like this last year, I can't believe people refuse to give candy, or give a lesser treat to someone because they aren't dressed up. I have to wonder what happened to you guys that made you like that?

 

[tasha99]

Deja vu. Again I'm wondering why people would begrudge a child some candy and why, oh why, is there so little love for teenagers? Older kids need acceptance too.

 

[Feralpeg]

If you ring my doorbell on Halloween, you get candy. In fact, I usually get at least one kid each year who doesn't have a sack for candy. I always find one for them and start them off with a big handful of treats.

 

[allicat]

Does anyone remember the Curb Your Enthusiasm episode centering around this very topic? Larry refused to give the teenagers candy so they came back and toilet papered his whole yard and wrote a choice phrase on his door!

 

[Kat77]

If you ring my doorbell on Halloween, you get candy. In fact, I usually get at least one kid each year who doesn't have a sack for candy. I always find one for them and start them off with a big handful of treats.

Why in the world are they going door to door without a sack?!
Are they eating as they go?

 

[Tweevil]

little I usually joke with them and ask them to give tell me a clean joke if they want extra candy- otherwise they get one piece. Been doing this for a couple of years and now the teens in the area know and come with a joke. Last year one came with a magic trick which was great.

Considering my poor son was between a rock & hard place last year with it, I just give candy. I really don't care.

My son was going as "Jason" last year and we could NOT for the life of us find the mask part when it came time to go out trick or treating. He had the other part of the costume on but of course, you basically have to wear your winter coat trick or treating here (so with no mask or obvious costume part - it can be hard to tell). He was on more than one occassion basically appear that he didn't have a costume on & he would explain the entire situation to the people (who I'm sure thought he was totally making it up but his baby brother had been playing with the mask & then didn't remember where he had put it -- we found it a couple days later hidden behind some toys).

Me too. Most of the young kids make some attempt at a costume, but it's usually the teens who show up in baggy jeans and black tshirt. I tell them if they don't have a costume, they have to perform a song, a magic trick or stand on one foot and sing the alphabet. Then they get a handful of candy (and I do mean a handful. we don't get a lot of trick or treaters, so we give out whatever we have. I think that's worth at least one song.)

Here's my theory...if you show up at my house,you'll get candy. If you aren't in a costume and have a wal-mart bag as your trick or treat bag, you'll still get candy, but I'll ask you what you are dressed as. I've had some pretty inventive kids come by in the past. The better your answer is, the more likely you are to get an extra Blow Pop.

Pretty much like all of the above....
I sit on the porch or by the street with my bucket and the kids that don't look like they have on a costume tell me who they are - most are really trying to go for someone. I had 2 tween girls who looked like they weren't dressed tell me they where POP stars. The kids tried but didn't have the resources for a true costume.

Everyone walks with candy or a baked treat from me. The ones I can recognize I talk to them about their character. The ones I can't I ask them who they are. These kids are crafty and come up with some cool stuff. I get rapping, songs, jokes, and funnies. I do ask for a "trick or treat" from them. But then again, I give some to the parents too if they are walking with the kids.

I live in a pretty poor area so I give when I can because I can - until it's all gone. The majority of these kids are well mannered and say thank you, those who don't know I don't put up with foolishness and if they are not respectful to keep walking.

Reminds me....
One year a kid 12 or so.... was 1/2 wrapped in an old torn sheet, said he was a mummy. He looked more like he got into an altercation with a floral sheet set..lol - I told him we could do better than that and ran into the house and got 2 rolls of TP. We wrapped him in the front yard. It was a hoot and he walked back by at the end of the evening and was really into character - stiff legged and everything...lol - made my heart proud!