Trick or Treaters with no costume?

[Mouse House Mama]

Well, first I get out my candy spreadsheet.
I check who is at my door and find their name on my sheet.
Then I check to see if their parents gave my children candy and what it was.
Then I check to see if they are wearing a costume.
Then I check to see if the costume is a good one.
No costume but gave my kids candy then they get a small treat.
Good costume but the parents didn't give my kids anything then I just smile and wave.
Good costume and they gave my kids something I check my list and make sure to give the same amount back.
No costume and my children were given nothing by their family?
I just slam the door.


j/k

Anyone who comes to my door gets a handful of candy. It is one day a year and we love it.

 

[ratlenhum]

I always give them candy. You can never know if they can't afford a costume, or just didn't feel like bothering with one. I comment to the older kids, something funny but give them candy so they don't egg, TP or shaving cream my house. I also tip them off that in the 8-10 houses around us, 5 of them are cop families and this may not be a good block for horseplay or pranks.

 

[ratlenhum]

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

You obviously haven't seen this thread


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2583388

 

[Disneyland1084]

My only rule is whoever trick or treats at my door has to say "Trick or Treat" in order to get candy. Age, costume or no costume doesn't matter to me. Besides, I'd rather get rid of all the candy instead of it going to my hips!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

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.

My DD is 16, a junior in HS. I let her go ToTing. Many of her friends parents don't, but I like that she still enjoys part of being a kid and as long as she is respectful it deosn't bother me. I don't love when we get college age kids, though we only get a few, but I still give them candy. As for the adults, that annoys me, we sometimes get ladies out with their kids using their Coach bags to collect their candy. THAT I feel is annoying, so I keep Dum Dums for them. Teenagers, nah, doesn't bother me at all.

 

[mhsjax]

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.

I love the teenagers in my neighborhood, sometimes they dress up and sometimes they don't. I give them candy no problems, in fact usually they come later and I give them more candy because I usually have some left over. All of the parents are like that around here, we have good teenagers and they are a lot fun to be around.

 

[deegack]

The only people I eyeroll at are the parents who tot with their infants. We get a couple of those every year. Often by themselves not with another little kid. We dressed our daughter up last year but didn't tot (she "helped" pass out candy). This year we will go to a couple neighbors who we are friends with more to show off her costume than anything.

 

[Becc1]

The only people I eyeroll at are the parents who tot with their infants. We get a couple of those every year. Often by themselves not with another little kid. We dressed our daughter up last year but didn't tot (she "helped" pass out candy). This year we will go to a couple neighbors who we are friends with more to show off her costume than anything.

I will obviously give these people candy but I find it a little weird too. We actually have friends who we invite to come over every year for Halloween and I was shocked when they brought a bag for their 4 month old to go trick or treating with us, lol. I give candy to any child who comes to my door, as a PP stated I don't want my house egged or tp'd by teenagers because I was stingy with a couple peices or candy, lol.

 

[tlbwriter]

The only people I eyeroll at are the parents who tot with their infants. We get a couple of those every year. Often by themselves not with another little kid. We dressed our daughter up last year but didn't tot (she "helped" pass out candy). This year we will go to a couple neighbors who we are friends with more to show off her costume than anything.

Yeah, I had a couple a few years ago with an infant in a stroller who said they were TOTing "for the baby." I wanted to say "Seriously? How long are you going to hold on to this candy for her?" But I just smiled and gave them one piece.

I love teenage TOTers. In my neighborhood, they're always dressed up, and it's always something creative.

 

[Sugardimples]

I live in a city neighborhood and get lots of trick or treaters, many of them from very low income families. Some are in costume, some aren't. Some are small children, some are teenagers. Everybody gets a treat. I don't care if you're in a costume or not, young or older, from the neighborhood or not. I figure for a lot of these kids getting this candy is a big deal for them.

I am not at all concerned that some of the older kids might cause mischief, I just don't see it. They're just acting like kids for a little while.

 

[kamik86]

I remember one house we went to that you had to go inside... (note well known community person that set up entire foyer into a trick or treat area complete with a life size coffin thing to hold the candy... it was SOOO cool!!, not some creep that wanted the kids in the house) The problem is the house had a huge thing of stairs in the front. I was going with my nephew (sisters step-son) I was probably 9, he was 8, and my niece who was only 2. She was dressed up but tired and in a stroller so my sister asked me to get stuff for her too. I still remember how nice the guy was about it (I was scared to seem greedy going up with two bags!) when I told him it was for my neice he first asked if she was sick and I said no she was in the stroller at the bottom (pointing out the window) and then let me take something for her. The nice people make an impression on us, even as kids.

I also remember one year going with my girl scout troup as a teenager (caddettes in girl scouts we were freshman and sophmores in high school) I hadn't gone Tot in years before that but we had fun and no one seemed to mind. our leader was a college student and we had to stop at the president of the college's house (the president gets thsi really fancy house on campus, the problem is that it doesn't look like a house it looks like a college building so no one ever stops even though his light is on... so he tells ALL the college kids to come by in costume if they are going to parties or whatever so he can have some fun seeing everyone too!! He gave out the best candy (and alot of it too) since he got so few people.

 

[Missy1961]

Well, first I get out my candy spreadsheet.
I check who is at my door and find their name on my sheet.
Then I check to see if their parents gave my children candy and what it was.
Then I check to see if they are wearing a costume.
Then I check to see if the costume is a good one.
No costume but gave my kids candy then they get a small treat.
Good costume but the parents didn't give my kids anything then I just smile and wave.
Good costume and they gave my kids something I check my list and make sure to give the same amount back.
No costume and my children were given nothing by their family?
I just slam the door.


j/k

Anyone who comes to my door gets a handful of candy. It is one day a year and we love it.

that sounds great! I'd love to make a spreadsheet like that, can you share it?

 

[LukenDC]

I give candy to anyone who appears at the door regardless of attire or age. I also offer candy to the adult chaperones.

I loved trick-or-treating and it is the only thing I miss from childhood.

 

[SKWDW]

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.

This. I mean really, what's the point? I buy the candy to give it out. It's the same thing with babies in strollers. We all know the baby isn't going to eat the Hershey bar, but I put the candy in the "baby's" bag anyway.

 

[tasha99]

This. I mean really, what's the point? I buy the candy to give it out. It's the same thing with babies in strollers. We all know the baby isn't going to eat the Hershey bar, but I put the candy in the "baby's" bag anyway.

I always figure the babies have overeager parents. Taking your kid out to ToT before they can eat candy is like buying them toys they're a little too young for. Sometimes parents just can't wait because it's all so exciting and they want to show their baby to everyone and participate. I think it's kind of sweet.

 

[cm8]

I always give to any kid that comes to my house whether they have a costume on or not. Sometimes, you never know what their situation is so it doesn't bother me. There are some kids who have tactile problems with clothing, etc touching them so I try to take all issues into account. We always have plenty candy to go around.

 

[disneyofcourse]

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.

These kids are not poor, they just have very BAD manners and parents who do not parent. They are the kids out until 3 am in groups hanging out on the corners in an otherwise quiet and safe area. Would you give candy to a 12-16 year old who is rapping "Bi*** gimme candy, Fu** a hoe" Not wearing any sort of costume and screaming across the road to friends about the latest "Hoe" and the "Who F***** who?" All while little kids are running around with parents covering ears and try trying to enjoy trick or treating? Would you give out candy or open your door? It came across as rude with "interesting area you must live in"

You can be poor and come to my door without a costume and I give out candy. Just don't come and be rude and demanding.

 

[LisaR]

These kids are not poor, they just have very BAD manners and parents who do not parent. They are the kids out until 3 am in groups hanging out on the corners in an otherwise quiet and safe area. Would you give candy to a 12-16 year old who is rapping "Bi*** gimme candy, Fu** a hoe" Not wearing any sort of costume and screaming across the road to friends about the latest "Hoe" and the "Who F***** who?" All while little kids are running around with parents covering ears and try trying to enjoy trick or treating? Would you give out candy or open your door? It came across as rude with "interesting area you must live in"

You can be poor and come to my door without a costume and I give out candy. Just don't come and be rude and demanding.

Giving out candy to those kids would be the least of my concerns. I would turn off my lights and forgo handing out candy if this is seriously what the kids in your area are like.

I am sorry you took it as rude. It was simply an observation that I grew up in what most would consider to be a pretty rough area (especially when I compare it to how my kids are growing up now) and I have never witnessed that type of behavior on Halloween.

 

[krcit]

I always figure the babies have overeager parents. Taking your kid out to ToT before they can eat candy is like buying them toys they're a little too young for. Sometimes parents just can't wait because it's all so exciting and they want to show their baby to everyone and participate. I think it's kind of sweet.

I'll admit to taking my oldest dd when she was 6 months old. I dressed her as a peapod and we went all over the neighborhood. I honestly never gave it a second thought that people would have a problem with it, maybe because everyone was oohing and ahhing over how cute she looked I love seeing the little ones dressed up and don't think of it as their parents evil plot to get free candy It's Halloween, come to my door and get candy. I don't put 'conditions' on it. If I don't want to give out candy then I won't answer the door. No biggie.

 

[Feralpeg]

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

It's always an older kids. Usually it's a boy. It's like his friends came to his house and he decided to go out with them at the last minute. They are almost never in costume and seem shy. They tend to hang toward the back of the group. I always ask if they want candy. When I see they don't have a bag, I get one for them. It makes me feel good to help out.