Trick or Treaters--How Much is Too Much?

Question

We live in a nice, safe neighborhood which has become the #1 spot for Trick or Treating in our area. Police are on hand to direct traffic, children and adults arrive by the car/van load and some hire and decorate flat bed trucks and load it up with children. This is a very well behaved group and there are few problems and I have never heard of any vandelism. With good weather, I can expect about 400 groups to come to my door. In past years, I have started in late August getting goodies bagged up to hand out. It bothers me that I don't know these children, they are not from our neighborhood and many are not even from our town.

This year I have not made up the goodie bags. I will be filling up plastic pumpkins with treats and delivering them early in the day to the neighborhood children that I know and see almost daily. Does this seem reasonable? Some of my neighbors say they really enjoy the evening, but I have noticed that more than a few are "dark" on Halloween.

"Dark" means lights out. The children do not bother houses that do not have lights on.

Answer 1

I think that it is more than reasonable. My family just has a Halloween party for family and close friends at which we pass out the MEGA MOTHER LOAD of all goodie bags. We make up for the kids (lol and some of the adults too) not going trick or treating and we make sure to leave our porch light OFF because we to were pleaged with a massive influce of extra kids, that and some of the children didnt really understand that after a curtain hour people want to go to bed.So I personally say you are in the right for doing so.

Answer 2

We have a similar problem in our neighborhood. 90% of the trick-or-treaters are not from our area, don't wear costumes and are (in my opinion) too old to be trick-or-treating. There are even adults coming around! These kids walk up on the porch and don't even say "trick or treat." They just shove their bag out for some candy, and don't say "thank you" as they leave. Things sure have changed since when I was a kid! I've decided to do basically the same as you -- make up some treat bags for the neighborhood kids and call it a night. So sad. Halloween used to be so fun.

Added:
Oh, and I forgot to mention - for the last two years I have posted a sign (fun halloween graphics included) that includes a poem stating that if you aren't wearing a costume, or if you're older than 8th grade, don't expect a treat from me. They all ignore it. : (

Answer 3

Sounds like you live in MY neighborhood. I live in a town where most people's house are set back from the road or up long driveways. Think subdivisions and house with 1 acre front lawns.

Well, my neighborhood the houses are very close together and you can easily walk around.

What we do in my house is just by a few bags of candy. Maybe 4 bags. We give 1 piece per child (unless it's a neighborhood kid we know really well-like the kids that live directly next door)

When we are OUT we're OUT. We shut off our lights and that's that. Don't feel obligated to give mounds of candy to EVERY kid that comes to the door.

Save a few pieces of candy for the kids you know well. Give them those special candies and then the rest of everyone else.

Answer 4

Sounds like you have a good plan. Deliver candy to the neighbor kids early, and do what you want during the time trick or treaters come around. You are not obligated to hand out candy at all, especially to kids who do not live in the neighborhood.

We used to have the same problem. Our neighborhood was well lit with large houses, so people would drive their kids in for a safe experience where they thought they would get more candy for their kids. Don't feel obligated to spend hundreds on candy just because you live in a nice area. Set a spending limit for yourself, and when you are out, oh well.

Answer 5

I understand where you are coming from. I also made goody bags for our trick or treaters. Fortunately we only ended up with about 150. Personally if I could afford to give out nice treats to all the kids I would. I enjoy seeing them come by and such. But don't feel bad if you cannot honor the holiday anymore. I think your gesture of giving treats to the locals kids before the evening of fun is really nice. If I were you I would vacate my home for the trick or treating hours. I would feel too guilty sitting in my dark house ignoring the kids passing by.

Happy Halloween.

Answer 6

That's a lot of kids! That would be nice of you to make up special treat bags for neighbor kids, but if they come to your door to show off their costumes, be sure to give them an extra treat too!

I'm not so sure what you mean by "dark" though. Do you mean the porch lights are not on? I hope so.

Answer 7

omg im gonna try and do all of them u have the best list u should like write a long a$$ list about how to confuse trick-or-treaters i would totally buy

Answer 8

Wow, a lot of kids come to your house. We only get like 200, but our neighborhoods pretty small. You don't have to give candy to people you don't know. I know lots of people who do that. It's really no big deal.

Answer 9

i agree.... the kids that live in your neighborhood you should bring the bags early to them... and put a sign up saying something like NO CANDY... i under stand its the same exact way in our neighborhood... good luck and HAPPY HALLOWEEN =)

Answer 10

Yes, this is fine. Our neighborhood has the same problem. Besides, giving candy to stangers is not an obligation, my parents and i do the same thing