What do you guys think about trick-or-treaters without...

[joossa]

Hey everyone.

Last year was the first year I decorated my house heavily for Halloween. I had lot of kids come by. The sad thing is that many of them didn't have costumes. I guess a lot of kids think that simply dressing in black is sufficient enough to get free candy....

I love Halloween and love to see all the different costumes (it's one of the underlying aspects that makes the holiday so great). What do you think if I put a sign on my front yard near the sidewalk by the walkway leading up to my house that said "No costume, no candy!" this year?

Would this be too harsh? Do you think I would be suseptable to being teepeed or other tricks?


Thanks for your opinions.....

[Spookymufu]

my wife doesnt hand out candy to people that arent in costume......

[LarissaAnn]

It bugs me that they don't have costumes, but honestly, my last apartment was in a nice town that bordered a pretty sketchy town. Families used to come in carloads to our street (a main street), and I'm pretty sure they were coming over from the sketchy town to our side of things because we would have better stuff & be more likely to be giving things out.

If that's the case, and they really didn't have money, I feel bad for them. I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have money and my mom made our costumes. Now you don't see homemade costumes anymore, but I can't blame kids for that. Their parents either don't care or don't have the time to put in the effort. Without knowing what's behind it, I'd hate to penalize them.

Now the teens with no costumes who come later at night and just expect stuff, they annoy me more. Teens can make costumes if they don't have the money to buy them.

I've been sorely tempted in past years to get costume odds 'n' ends on sale after the season and hand them out to kids without costumes when they come by. But I know the teens will just see it as another freebie.

This is my first Halloween in this town & neighborhood. I'm interested to see how it goes, especially with Halloween on a Saturday.

[angel222]

i would give them candy especially in tough times in this economy. as for teens, I would just give them candy.

[LarissaAnn]

i would give them candy especially in tough times in this economy. as for teens, I would just give them candy.

I do. I may grumble about the teens privately, but I'm a sucker for the holiday and can't shaft anyone. Everyone who comes to the door gets candy, even after hours. And even if they're making a second round to my house.

[Ghoul of the Graves]

Although my house would be at risk of being egged, I wouldn't give candy out to anyone without costumes.

Because I'm usually ToTing with my brother anyway I can't give out candy to anyone.

[Murfreesboro]

We get very few Trick-or-Treaters, so I happily give out candy to anyone who shows up. Most of them make some shift to have at least a little facial paint, something to show that they are in the spirit of the night.

For a couple of years now my teenaged son has gone with his sister and me, and he hasn't worn a costume. The first year he had on a baseball-style Univ. of TN cap, and when one man asked him what his costume was, he said he was a "UT fan." Last year I don't think anyone asked him, and he didn't make any pretense of having a costume. But honestly I don't think he would have gone if I hadn't made him. His dad and older brother were out in the woods at a Boy Scout event (Order of the Arrow, an aspect of Scouts to which my younger son doesn't belong), and I didn't want him home alone on Halloween night. So I made him come with his younger sister and me.

I do decorate my house and buy the candy. I would love to see more kids. However, we live on one of the main thoroughfares of the town, and there are no sidewalks. It is just not so safe for the kids to walk along that street at night, with all the traffic. So I understand why they don't come in great numbers. Some of the side streets are a carnival, though, so it's not very far away from us. I tell myself that lots of people see my decorations and lit pumpkins, even if they aren't able to stop.

[WitchyMama]

I haven't had any kids come that didn't have a costume on. I think this year if we did we would give it out anyway just because I know how hard hit alot of families are. If my local economy wasn't so bad, I would totally do the "no costume, no candy" sign. If your not going to take the time to even attempt some face makeup I am not going to waste candy on you. I would rather give it to some other kid who took 2 hours getting dressed.

[Spookymufu]

I guess I should add to my previous post.......

My wife will give out candy to non-costumed kids if they are the ones walking their little brothers or sisters around or something of that nature, but not just toters with out a costume....

[adrian]

i hate it, to tell you the truth..

i grew up really poor but always found a way to make a costume... something can be DONE!!

[Pumpkin_Man]

Actualy I started making my own Halloween costumes from any odds and ends I could find around the house or in the garage. One year I cut holes for eyes in a bed sheat and wrapped an old sot chain around myself and went TOTing as a ghost. Another year I made a robot costume out of card board boxes and aluminum foil. I even used flash light batteries and lights to makeit look more real. Those are the costumes that stand out in my mind. I wond a prize for the robot, too.

I don't care so much about a costume, but at least a mask should be worn. I am very generous towards anyone who does not cop out on TRADITION. A witches hat, a chefs hat, some straw and some shabby old cloths, or a brown paper grocery bag with a funny face drawn on it. Where there's a will there's a way. I reward respect for TRADITION, but I'm a bit chintsy with those who do nothing at all. Just a mask is all that's needed to uphold Halloween TOT TRADITION.

Oh, and by the way, I was NOT rich when I was a kid, either. We weren't poor, we had reasonably comfortable lives, but there were a lot of things my parents could not afford, and there were a lot of times when anyone of us wanted something, we had to work for it.

Mike

[Ghoul of the Graves]

I agree with Pumpkin_Man, even a simple paper mache' mask would be a a good option if you're low on money.

[WitchyMama]

Grew up poor myself! I would get very inventive. Hell one year all I had was face makeup and some blood....so I went around as Jeffrey Dahmer's girlfriend (what an oxymoron lol). Unfortunatley people aren't so creative anymore. Or too lazy to even make some sort of effort. I love it when those few people show up in something original. One year we had a kid show up dressed like Al from Home Improvement tv show. I think he was about 9 or 10 or something like that. I was all "OMG IT'S AL!!!" and he got so excited. Poor thing, no one else knew what he was. I gave him extra lol. But anyway...I digress. People need to bring back some creativity. I would rather see a kid in a foil wrapped box as a robot then a $50 costume.

[Pumpkin_Man]

Even if you have to improvise, and you're not a 'world class' arteest, TRADITION at Halloween calls for at least a mask or some kind of a costume. Something as simple as an old Chefs Hat and a spatchula will IMHO uphold the TRADITION. Now I love the creative ideas that some people come up with. But my main thing is TRADITION. Again, I realize you must think I'm 100 years old, but that's the way I am. I am an absolute stickler for TRADITION. Any unsuspecting peper grocery bag, paper or styrophome plate or even an old bed sheat, will meet TRADITIONAL 'Trick or Treat' requirements. I'm s ure the very poorest of the poor can get a hold of a paper grocery bag.

Mike

[adrian]

no kidding.. i'm a stickler for tradition.. heck.. if a poor girl comes up just simply dressed in all black and has a witches hat on... she's getting candy..

i've a soft spot for people who just simply TRY!! try something... anything
it doesn't matter what it is or how horrible you may think it looks. as long as you're having fun in your costume then i'll give you what ever i've got in my bowl lol