Halloween Entitlement

[Jay 2K Winger]

I guess I'll put this here, unless one of the mods decides it works better somewhere else.

Like many USA-ians, I hand out candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween. The past couple of years, we've had fewer and fewer of them due to the aftermath of the pandemic, plus the rise of "trunk-or-treat" events, where parents all gather in a parking lot with their kids and hand out candy from the trunks of their cars. (I won't get on how I dislike the idea of these things, not relevant to this story.)

So I got home, dumped the big bag of candy I bought last month into the Halloween bowl, and had an early dinner, chatted with my roommates and waited for the doorbell to ring. All the kiddos were respectful, at least-- they said the necessaries after I opened the door, and they let me give them two pieces of candy each. No complaints about what I was giving them, and I would have happily swapped out for something else if they asked. (e.g. "Can I have a Snickers instead of the Peanut M&M's?")

Then there was this guy.

Young teenager, so old enough he should know better. I open the door, he says the necessaries, and I give him his two pieces. Drop them into his bucket.

Then he reaches out and sticks his hand in the bowl, grabbing a big handful. Didn't ask, didn't make any request, just straight up tries to grab a whole big handful for himself. Like it was completely normal and allowed.

I reached out and put my hand over his, stopping him dead. He looked up, caught the glare in my eye, and immediately apologized, but took one extra piece of candy before retreating.

The @#$%ing audacity and entitlement appalled me.

[mjr]

That's why you put the candy bowl where they can't reach it. And I know it's risky, but "young teenager" should probably be refused. Of course, that's a good way for your house to end up egged or TP'd, but still...

[Arcus]

The only trick or treaters I got this year were a couple of young teens. They clearly knew they were on the upper edge to be out, but I gave them candy anyway. They were happy to get anything.

[Ironclad Alibi]

I had 39 trick-or-treaters this year, an increase from pass years when I usually had about two dozen. The neighborhood list-serve had complaints of someone stealing the bowls of candy, and the bowls, they left sitting out unattended for the trick-or-treaters. Really? If you leave a bowl of candy unattended, expect someone to take it all. Quit being lazy and hand it out personally. Although Jay's experience shows that doesn't always work.

[RealUnimportant]

I can understand it as a plan to make life "easier" but half the fun for the kids is getting reactions to their costumes. If you take that away, then it's just a walk to collect candy, it's not even a decent scavenger hunt.

[XCashier]

That's why you put the candy bowl where they can't reach it. And I know it's risky, but "young teenager" should probably be refused. Of course, that's a good way for your house to end up egged or TP'd, but still...

You can't always tell how old a kid is. My son was as big as a teenager when he was only ten years old. So I wouldn't refuse them, but definitely keep the bowl out of their reach.

Sadly, we didn't have any trick-or-treaters this year. We moved earlier this year, and I asked the manager of the new place if trick-or-treating was allowed, she said yes, but not one person showed up.

[Pixilated]

It's been more years than I care to think of since I was able to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters.

I lived in apartments most of my life and of course they do NOT want kids rampaging up and down the halls, and I can understand that. One building used to set up tables in the lobby; the building's owners would hand out treats and any tenant could also come down and join in the fun and hand out their own stuff. But either it was not a kid-heavy neighbourhood or the kids didn't realize we were an option so we rarely got more than a few kids.

I lived in my now-late mother's house for several years but it was mostly a retirement neighbourhood by then so again ... no kids. And now I am back in an apartment.

I would happily hand out candy to any kids who came in costume, regardless of their age.

Two funny stories from MANY years ago.

First one: I was probably about 10 or 11 so yeah, LONG time ago. My folks were handing out candy. The evening had largely worn down when there came a knock on the door. Dad answered. Very tall person in a costume (don't remember what) holding a pillow case. Dad drops some candy in the pillow case and closes the door. Another knock. Dad answers. Same person. They shake the pillow case. Dad: "I already gave you candy." Shuts the door. Another knock ...

Rinse and repeat a couple of more times until Dad finally loses it and lunges outside to wrestle the intruder off the porch.

Mom had finally come to the door.

Mom (shrieking): "[DAD!!!] DON'T! THAT'S [PRACTICAL-JOKER NEIGHBOUR WITH A WARPED SENSE OF HUMOUR]!!!"

[Neighbour] pulls off mask and she (yep, it was a she) is laughing her butt off. Dad went and had a couple of drinks.

Second one: This was a couple of years later, in a different house. Mom had put a green light in the entrance-way and dressed up in a sort of bedraggled evil witch costume, complete with grey fright wig. When she heard "Trick or treat!" she'd open the door verrrry slooowwwly, cackling evilly, and hand out the candy. The kids loved it.

Well ... most of 'em did.

Voice singing out the usual greeting, Mom does her schtick and opens the door ... and there stands ONE child. About, I dunno, 3 or 4 years old. Staring up in horror.

And then starts to cry.

Tot's father is standing a few steps back and he runs over and picks her up. Mom is babbling apologies as fast as she can. Father starts laughing.

Mom: "What?"

Father: "She's wet herself."

Mom (to me): "YOU hand out candy for the rest of the night!!" (I was in my early teens, so obviously way too cool to dress up for Halloween.)

Poor Mom was devastated The father wasn't at all angry at Mom but I wonder if that little tot wanted to do ANY more trick-or-treating that night.

[RealUnimportant]

Aw that poor tot!