I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all have
razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives? I
was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
parents.

On Fri, 07 Oct 2005 12:39:25 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
> wrote:

>Anyone have any interesting alternatives?

Hot nickels or pennies?


I just love cats.....

but I can't eat a whole one.

Doug Kanter wrote:

> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they
> all have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
> alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet
> with resistance from parents.


OOH!!! OOH!!! RAISING HAND!!!!!!

One year I gave out yo-yos. The next year I gave out "house flys" (nerf
boomerangs).

The yo-yos caused a big upset with the local school teachers!

One girl, maybe twelve, came back and asked for a blue yo-yo. I said
"Didn't you already get one?" She said "Yes, a red one, but I have to
accessorize!" I just laughed and couldn't say no to that!!!

Andy

Doug Kanter wrote:

> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all have
> razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives? I
> was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
> parents.

We don't have to worry about it any more. We live in the country, close enough
to town that the few kids who do live around here go to there the pickings are
better. When my son young we used to get his friends coming around. I used to
male things like caramel corn and toffee apples, but I found out that they
parents were throwing it out. Talk about paranoia. For the past few years we
have bought a few chocolate bars just in case someone comes by, but no one does,
so won't bother this year.

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> Doug Kanter wrote:
>
>> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all
>> have
>> razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
>> alternatives? I
>> was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
>> parents.
>
> We don't have to worry about it any more. We live in the country, close
> enough
> to town that the few kids who do live around here go to there the pickings
> are
> better. When my son young we used to get his friends coming around. I
> used to
> male things like caramel corn and toffee apples, but I found out that they
> parents were throwing it out. Talk about paranoia. For the past few
> years we
> have bought a few chocolate bars just in case someone comes by, but no one
> does,
> so won't bother this year.
>
>

My son suggested fireworks, but he's 16, which means he's out of his mind.
:-)

Doug Kanter wrote:
>
> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all have
> razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives? I
> was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
> parents.

We started a tradition abaout 8 years ago. My husband had the baker
make the appropriate number of 6" pumpkin shaped cookies. I would then
wrap them in plastic wrap and label them so people know where they came
from. The bakery closed and last year I bought candy to give out.
There were quite a few little ones that said "no cookies this year"? I
hadn't realized that they looked forward to them, so this year I'll try
to make them myself. But I need a cookie that won't fall apart at that
size. I don't want to do the roll and cut out thing though, so I need
come up with an idea that will work. Anyone have suggestions?
...Thanks..Sharon

For the past several years, I lived in an area where we we were lucky if we
got any kids. Even neighbourhood kids didn't trick or treat routinely in
the hood. Being in Canada we have these little things called loonies. For
the couple of kids if any we got, I just popped a loonie in their bag.
Sometimes a can of pop as well, but they can get heavy. There is a web site
where you can print labels for "pumpkin poop" You can buy that orange and
yellow pumpkin shaped candy.. put some in a baggie, attach the printable
label with the poem. Even if the parents won't let them eat the candy.. it
isn't that expensive and they will like the idea and the poem. :-)

Debbie

"Doug Kanter" > wrote in message
...
| I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all
have
| razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives?
I
| was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
| parents.
|
|

Doug Kanter wrote:
> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they
> all have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
> alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet
> with resistance from parents.

LOL! Maybe things have changed (I'm sure they have) but the kids I remember
who were trick-or-treating would be more interested in candy than condoms.
I'm lucky; there are very few kids in my neighborhood so I don't bother
buying candy. No one knocks at the door. Saves a ton of money.

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> Doug Kanter wrote:
>> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they
>> all have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
>> alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet
>> with resistance from parents.
>
> LOL! Maybe things have changed (I'm sure they have) but the kids I
> remember
> who were trick-or-treating would be more interested in candy than condoms.
> I'm lucky; there are very few kids in my neighborhood so I don't bother
> buying candy. No one knocks at the door. Saves a ton of money.
>
> Jill
>
>

There was an episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond" in which Ray buys some
condoms that come in containers that look like gold coins. Someone in the
family mistakes them for chocolate in coin wrappers and gives them out to
the kids. You can imagine the rest. :-)

We had 3 big buckets of candy, we live at t he end of a street and we are
pretty much the only ones on our street that hand out, however the next
street over is jumpin' w/ treaters (this year we will go over there and set
up w/ a friend)
But last year the last of the trick or treaters got at least 5 lbs of candy
EACH. I asked them to open their bag, and dumped it all in, went inside,
had a cup of tea and then checked out my kids candy.
It was fun to make their day lol, those kids were freaking out lol



"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> Doug Kanter wrote:
>> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they
>> all have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
>> alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet
>> with resistance from parents.
>
> LOL! Maybe things have changed (I'm sure they have) but the kids I
> remember
> who were trick-or-treating would be more interested in candy than condoms.
> I'm lucky; there are very few kids in my neighborhood so I don't bother
> buying candy. No one knocks at the door. Saves a ton of money.
>
> Jill
>
>

Doug Kanter wrote:
> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all have
> razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives? I
> was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
> parents.
>
>


Ice cream. You smile real big and put a scoop in their goody bag in
with all that candy and junk. HTH ;-)

(religious "tracts" are always a big hit too)

Bob

"Debbie" > wrote in message
...
| For the past several years, I lived in an area where we we were lucky if
we
| got any kids. Even neighbourhood kids didn't trick or treat routinely in
| the hood. Being in Canada we have these little things called loonies.
For
| the couple of kids if any we got, I just popped a loonie in their bag.
| Sometimes a can of pop as well, but they can get heavy. There is a web
site
| where you can print labels for "pumpkin poop" You can buy that orange and
| yellow pumpkin shaped candy.. put some in a baggie, attach the printable
| label with the poem. Even if the parents won't let them eat the candy..
it
| isn't that expensive and they will like the idea and the poem. :-)
|
| Debbie
|
Forgot to include the website. There are several, but this is the site I
used for this type of thing for schools and big brothers/sisters.

http://organizedchristmas.com/article78.html

I am in the middle of doing up "Thanksgiving Blessings" ones to take to a
family dinner this w/e. This is Canada's Thanksgiving Weekend.

Debbie

"Doug Kanter" > wrote in message
...
> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all
have
> razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives?
I
> was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
> parents.

Only if those condoms are unlubricated.






Shaun aRe

On Fri, 07 Oct 2005 14:04:21 GMT, Dog3 > wrote:

>Andy <q> wrote in :
>
>> Doug Kanter wrote:
>>
>>> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they
>>> all have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
>>> alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet
>>> with resistance from parents.
>>
>>
>> OOH!!! OOH!!! RAISING HAND!!!!!!
>>
>> One year I gave out yo-yos. The next year I gave out "house flys" (nerf
>> boomerangs).
>>
>> The yo-yos caused a big upset with the local school teachers!
>>
>> One girl, maybe twelve, came back and asked for a blue yo-yo. I said
>> "Didn't you already get one?" She said "Yes, a red one, but I have to
>> accessorize!" I just laughed and couldn't say no to that!!!
>>
>> Andy
>>
>
>ROFL... Andy you are a stitch. I thought about (just to **** off the
>parents) giving out boxes of those bubble gum cigarettes but I don't think
>they are made any longer.
>
>Michael


Yes they are. Go here.
http://www.hometownfavorites.com/sho...=1&id=45&newp=

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974

"Dog3" > wrote in message
...
> "Doug Kanter" > wrote in
> :
>
>> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they
>> all have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
>> alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet
>> with resistance from parents.
>
> Every year I buy bag after bag of candy and get about 3 trick or treaters.
> That just means more candy for me. I've already bought bags of snickers,
> milky way bars, gummy eyeballs and something unidentifiable with Sponge
> Bob
> on it. Steven is already eating up the candy bars.
>
> We've gotten a couple of new families. There might be a total of 7 trick
> or
> treaters this year. I bought 10 children's admission tickets to The Magic
> House in Kirkwod for the neighborhood kids. The candy bars will never see
> Halloween. The eyeballs and Sponge Bob will be reserved for any stray
> goblins that might make their way up the long, very dark street.
>
> Michael

In my previous neighborhood, we once had 4 limousines park, and a couple of
dozen large teenagers poured out. This was around 10:00 at night. Some of
them had the lamest lines imaginable, like "You gots any extra candy for my
baby sister? She's home." Mostly, we told them "You have to be present to
win". After an hour of this nonsense, I dropped a "NY State Fishing
Regulations" booklet in someone's bag. He made a nasty remark and I grabbed
the baseball bat that waits behind the door on Halloween. That was one
really fast teenager. Got down the street in about 3 seconds.

I like to give out small bags of raisins or goldfish crackers.
Something other than candy but in a sealed package of course.

Debbie wrote:
> For the past several years, I lived in an area where we we were lucky if we
> got any kids. Even neighbourhood kids didn't trick or treat routinely in
> the hood. Being in Canada we have these little things called loonies. For
> the couple of kids if any we got, I just popped a loonie in their bag.
> Sometimes a can of pop as well, but they can get heavy. There is a web site
> where you can print labels for "pumpkin poop" You can buy that orange and
> yellow pumpkin shaped candy.. put some in a baggie, attach the printable
> label with the poem. Even if the parents won't let them eat the candy.. it
> isn't that expensive and they will like the idea and the poem. :-)
>
> Debbie
>
> "Doug Kanter" > wrote in message
> ...
> | I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all
> have
> | razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives?
> I
> | was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
> | parents.
> |
> |

That's an interesting thought, although maybe something even cheaper. Since
it's likely the parents won't let them eat it anyway, it may as well be
cheap.

"grawun" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I like to give out small bags of raisins or goldfish crackers.
> Something other than candy but in a sealed package of course.
>
> Debbie wrote:
>> For the past several years, I lived in an area where we we were lucky if
>> we
>> got any kids. Even neighbourhood kids didn't trick or treat routinely in
>> the hood. Being in Canada we have these little things called loonies.
>> For
>> the couple of kids if any we got, I just popped a loonie in their bag.
>> Sometimes a can of pop as well, but they can get heavy. There is a web
>> site
>> where you can print labels for "pumpkin poop" You can buy that orange
>> and
>> yellow pumpkin shaped candy.. put some in a baggie, attach the printable
>> label with the poem. Even if the parents won't let them eat the candy..
>> it
>> isn't that expensive and they will like the idea and the poem. :-)
>>
>> Debbie
>>
>> "Doug Kanter" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> | I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all
>> have
>> | razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
>> alternatives?
>> I
>> | was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance
>> from
>> | parents.
>> |
>> |
>

zxcvbob wrote:

> Doug Kanter wrote:
>
>> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they
>> all have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
>> alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet
>> with resistance from parents.

Not really sex education is a good thing. The parents will probably
find good use for them anyway especially after dealing with kids on a
sugar high
>>
>
>
> Ice cream. You smile real big and put a scoop in their goody bag in
> with all that candy and junk. HTH ;-)

Oh that is just so warped! ROFLMAO
>
> (religious "tracts" are always a big hit too)
>
> Bob

Dog3 wrote:

>
>
> You *have* to buy the chocolate bars Dave. That way you'll have something
> to console yourself with over the trauma of having no trick or treaters

But I don't like chocolate bars. I only like the really dark, bitter
chocolate, and I have a square or two every few days. Kids don't like the kind
I like.

Doug Kanter wrote:
>
> "Dog3" > wrote in message
> ...
> > "Doug Kanter" > wrote in
> > :
> >
> >> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they
> >> all have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
> >> alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet
> >> with resistance from parents.
> >
> > Every year I buy bag after bag of candy and get about 3 trick or treaters.
> > That just means more candy for me. I've already bought bags of snickers,
> > milky way bars, gummy eyeballs and something unidentifiable with Sponge
> > Bob
> > on it. Steven is already eating up the candy bars.
> >
> > We've gotten a couple of new families. There might be a total of 7 trick
> > or
> > treaters this year. I bought 10 children's admission tickets to The Magic
> > House in Kirkwod for the neighborhood kids. The candy bars will never see
> > Halloween. The eyeballs and Sponge Bob will be reserved for any stray
> > goblins that might make their way up the long, very dark street.
> >
> > Michael
>
> In my previous neighborhood, we once had 4 limousines park, and a couple of
> dozen large teenagers poured out. This was around 10:00 at night. Some of
> them had the lamest lines imaginable, like "You gots any extra candy for my
> baby sister? She's home." Mostly, we told them "You have to be present to
> win". After an hour of this nonsense, I dropped a "NY State Fishing
> Regulations" booklet in someone's bag. He made a nasty remark and I grabbed
> the baseball bat that waits behind the door on Halloween. That was one
> really fast teenager. Got down the street in about 3 seconds.

We shut off our lights at about 8:15. After that it's just the older
kids with no costumes anyway. Our visitors start about 6:15 and two
hours is plenty of time to canvas our area. We enjoy seeing the little
ones but it irritates the h''ll out of me to get a 14 year old, no
costume and a big pillow case.....Sharon

"biig" > wrote in message ...
>
>
> Doug Kanter wrote:
>>
>> "Dog3" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > "Doug Kanter" > wrote in
>> > :
>> >
>> >> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they
>> >> all have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
>> >> alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet
>> >> with resistance from parents.
>> >
>> > Every year I buy bag after bag of candy and get about 3 trick or
>> > treaters.
>> > That just means more candy for me. I've already bought bags of
>> > snickers,
>> > milky way bars, gummy eyeballs and something unidentifiable with Sponge
>> > Bob
>> > on it. Steven is already eating up the candy bars.
>> >
>> > We've gotten a couple of new families. There might be a total of 7
>> > trick
>> > or
>> > treaters this year. I bought 10 children's admission tickets to The
>> > Magic
>> > House in Kirkwod for the neighborhood kids. The candy bars will never
>> > see
>> > Halloween. The eyeballs and Sponge Bob will be reserved for any stray
>> > goblins that might make their way up the long, very dark street.
>> >
>> > Michael
>>
>> In my previous neighborhood, we once had 4 limousines park, and a couple
>> of
>> dozen large teenagers poured out. This was around 10:00 at night. Some of
>> them had the lamest lines imaginable, like "You gots any extra candy for
>> my
>> baby sister? She's home." Mostly, we told them "You have to be present
>> to
>> win". After an hour of this nonsense, I dropped a "NY State Fishing
>> Regulations" booklet in someone's bag. He made a nasty remark and I
>> grabbed
>> the baseball bat that waits behind the door on Halloween. That was one
>> really fast teenager. Got down the street in about 3 seconds.
>
> We shut off our lights at about 8:15. After that it's just the older
> kids with no costumes anyway. Our visitors start about 6:15 and two
> hours is plenty of time to canvas our area. We enjoy seeing the little
> ones but it irritates the h''ll out of me to get a 14 year old, no
> costume and a big pillow case.....Sharon

Especially when they're shlubs already, and need more calories like they
need more holes in their heads.

jmcquown wrote:
> Doug Kanter wrote:
>
>>I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they
>>all have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
>>alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet
>>with resistance from parents.
>
>
> LOL! Maybe things have changed (I'm sure they have) but the kids I remember
> who were trick-or-treating would be more interested in candy than condoms.
> I'm lucky; there are very few kids in my neighborhood so I don't bother
> buying candy. No one knocks at the door. Saves a ton of money.
>
> Jill
>
>


Yeah, but you also don't get to enjoy the leftovers....

gloria p
who sends the leftovers to work with DH

Dave Smith wrote:
> But I don't like chocolate bars. I only like the really dark, bitter
> chocolate, and I have a square or two every few days. Kids don't like the kind
> I like.

oh Dave you siwie.
Buy an assortment of milk and dark.
Offer both to the kids.
You're stuck with the rejects!

Karen

Doug Kanter wrote:
> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all have
> razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives? I
> was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
> parents.

Pearl onions?

We will be giving out mini granola bars and fruit-based gel-type
snacks. A tad more healthy, at least.
-L.

Kat wrote:
> We had 3 big buckets of candy, we live at t he end of a street and we are
> pretty much the only ones on our street that hand out, however the next
> street over is jumpin' w/ treaters (this year we will go over there and set
> up w/ a friend)
> But last year the last of the trick or treaters got at least 5 lbs of candy
> EACH. I asked them to open their bag, and dumped it all in, went inside,
> had a cup of tea and then checked out my kids candy.
> It was fun to make their day lol, those kids were freaking out lol

I did the same thing. DH ordered a gross of Dum-Dums so we had (and
still have) Dum-Dums coming out the wazoo. I just started handing out
handfuls, and the kids were like, "Man, this is the best house, ever!"
We are known for our pumpkins, anyway. Here are a couple of pics:
2003:
http://groups.msn.com/idontmindsComp...oto&PhotoID=44
2004:
http://groups.msn.com/idontmindsComp...oto&PhotoID=47

-L.

In article >,
Doug Kanter > wrote:
>I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all have
>razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives? I
>was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
>parents.
>
>

Individual boxes of raisins. For some reason, kids love them. I don't get
it - it's one of the things I would never consider eating, but back when
I lived in a place where kids came to my door they would oooh and aaah
over raisins. Ick!

Stickers, temporary tattoos, erasers, pencils, glow necklaces and
bracelets, super bounce balls, crayons, little trick-or-treat
individual bags of microwave popcorn, Play-Doh (you can buy a bag of
tiny cans at Halloween time). You can find all kinds of little
trinkets at www.orientaltradingcompany.com.

We used to get the most wonderful homemade treats when we went
trick-or-treating. I remember homemade candied and caramel apples,
cookies, brownies. Some lady always gave out brown paper lunchbags
full of buttered and salted popcorn. I remember an old man who used
to give out roasted peanuts in the shell; he would just dump a big
handful in your bag. People used to set up haunted houses in their
backyard or basement and we would all walk through.

Tara

On 2005-10-07, -L. > wrote:

> We are known for our pumpkins, anyway. Here are a couple of pics:

Great jack-o-lanterns, great pics. I saved the dark background one
for a Halloween desktop. =D

nb

In article >, Andy <q>
wrote:

> Doug Kanter wrote:
>
> > I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they
> > all have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
> > alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet
> > with resistance from parents.
>
>
> OOH!!! OOH!!! RAISING HAND!!!!!!
>
> One year I gave out yo-yos. The next year I gave out "house flys" (nerf
> boomerangs).
>
> The yo-yos caused a big upset with the local school teachers!
>
> One girl, maybe twelve, came back and asked for a blue yo-yo. I said
> "Didn't you already get one?" She said "Yes, a red one, but I have to
> accessorize!" I just laughed and couldn't say no to that!!!
>
> Andy

Smart girl... ;-)
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
"Doug Kanter" > wrote:

> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all have
> razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives? I
> was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
> parents.
>
>

We live on a residential street and we always do a jack-o-lantern, but
have not had trick or treaters for years.

We still buy some candy just in case, but it goes into the freezer and
lasts quite a while...... ;-)

I think party favor type toys are a better idea! "Oriental Trading" is
the best source for really cheap ones!

http://www.orientaltrading.com

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

Donna Pattee wrote:
> In article >,
> Doug Kanter > wrote:
>
>>I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all have
>>razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives? I
>>was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
>>parents.
>>
>>
>
>
> Individual boxes of raisins. For some reason, kids love them. I don't get
> it - it's one of the things I would never consider eating, but back when
> I lived in a place where kids came to my door they would oooh and aaah
> over raisins. Ick!


I usually go to Sam's Club and buy a 10 pound bag of Starlite mints and
give the kids 3 or 4 of those. (I may still have some left from last
year...

Best regards,
Bob

Dave Smith wrote:
> Dog3 wrote:
>
>
>>
>>You *have* to buy the chocolate bars Dave. That way you'll have something
>>to console yourself with over the trauma of having no trick or treaters
>
>
> But I don't like chocolate bars. I only like the really dark, bitter
> chocolate, and I have a square or two every few days. Kids don't like the kind
> I like.
>
>
What makes you think that children do not like dark chocolate? Few
children in Europe eat milk chocolate. I didn't and still do not.

My children grew up in New York and their chocolate of choice was
always a bittersweet one and now, in their fifties, they still do not
get excited over milk chocolate.

At what age did you discover dark chocolate? What is the chocolate
you prefer, American or made somewhere else and what is the make?

"Doug Kanter" > wrote in message
...
> I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all
> have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
> alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with
> resistance from parents.
>

There's a lady down the street from us, she gives each kid a Dixie cup,
toothbrush and sample size tooth paste. I always thought that was really
cool.

When I was a kid, there was a guy who gave out boxes of raisins, which my
brother loved. Or you could do the small granola bars, or fruit snacks. Or a
small toy, like those snap and glow necklaces and bracelets. Now they even
have magnetic ones kids can wear like earrings or on their clothes. I got a
catalog from Oriental Trading company, and they're not very expensive. (They
have some cute stuff in there too for the rest of the holidays as we near
the end of the year!)

Me, I'll stick with the candy and a good scare. Our house was in the paper a
few years in a row for being the scariest in our area. Now, though, there's
alot more college kids on our street, so I'm considering not decorating.
It's been bad enough having them leave beer bottles in the yard every
weekend. Seems like putting several thousand dollars worth of props out is
just asking for trouble. :-(

kimberly

> We used to get the most wonderful homemade treats when we went
> trick-or-treating. I remember homemade candied and caramel apples,
> cookies, brownies. Some lady always gave out brown paper lunchbags
> full of buttered and salted popcorn. I remember an old man who used
> to give out roasted peanuts in the shell; he would just dump a big
> handful in your bag. People used to set up haunted houses in their
> backyard or basement and we would all walk through.
>
> Tara

Yep... sadly, those days are long gone. I remember going into a lot of
homes. One older guy had rigged a jack-o-lantern at the top of the stairs
to his basement with a microphone and speaker. His wife would answer the
door (can't remember her costume) and invite us in to "talk" to the
jack-o-lantern before we got our candy. What fun! Much better than those
battery-powered sensor-activated plastic things they sell these days that
just spit out random phrases in a mechanized voice.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:

>>We used to get the most wonderful homemade treats when we went
>>trick-or-treating. I remember homemade candied and caramel apples,
>>cookies, brownies. Some lady always gave out brown paper lunchbags
>>full of buttered and salted popcorn. I remember an old man who used
>>to give out roasted peanuts in the shell; he would just dump a big
>>handful in your bag. People used to set up haunted houses in their
>>backyard or basement and we would all walk through.
>>
>>Tara
>
>
> Yep... sadly, those days are long gone. I remember going into a lot of
> homes. One older guy had rigged a jack-o-lantern at the top of the stairs
> to his basement with a microphone and speaker. His wife would answer the
> door (can't remember her costume) and invite us in to "talk" to the
> jack-o-lantern before we got our candy. What fun! Much better than those
> battery-powered sensor-activated plastic things they sell these days that
> just spit out random phrases in a mechanized voice.
>
> Jill
>
>


[Cue that obnoxious telephone female voice] "Hello. This is the
automated Halloween voice response system. If you are a
trick-or-treater between the ages of 5 and 8, say '1'. If you are..."

==(8-0 I just scared myself.

Best regards, ;-)
Bob

jmcquown wrote:

>> We used to get the most wonderful homemade treats when we went
>> trick-or-treating. I remember homemade candied and caramel apples,
>> cookies, brownies. Some lady always gave out brown paper lunchbags
>> full of buttered and salted popcorn. I remember an old man who used
>> to give out roasted peanuts in the shell; he would just dump a big
>> handful in your bag. People used to set up haunted houses in their
>> backyard or basement and we would all walk through.
>>
>> Tara
>
> Yep... sadly, those days are long gone. I remember going into a lot
> of homes. One older guy had rigged a jack-o-lantern at the top of the
> stairs to his basement with a microphone and speaker. His wife would
> answer the door (can't remember her costume) and invite us in to
> "talk" to the jack-o-lantern before we got our candy. What fun! Much
> better than those battery-powered sensor-activated plastic things they
> sell these days that just spit out random phrases in a mechanized
> voice.
>
> Jill


As a kid, my mom carved out a pumpkin and carefully lit it in a dark room
so just the face was lit up. She took slides of it and on Halloween she
drew down the window shade in the living room and projected the slide
from the projector onto the window shade. We had a six foot pumpkin that
you could see for blocks!

I was so sure some kids would egg the window but thankfully not!

Mom was cool!

Andy

"Doug Kanter" > writes:

>I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all have
>razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives? I
>was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
>parents.

Condoms are way too expensive. Your local party store probably has
huge packages of toys -- I like the rubber lizards and snakes, but
sometimes you can get pencils, some decent yo-yos, little slinkys, stuff
like that, at about 5 cents a piece.
I may not do anything this year, my husband will be at work and I
don't want to have to hide the cats and answer the door alone all by
myself.

Stacia

Doug Kanter wrote:
> Anyone have any interesting alternatives? I was thinking condoms.

How about a condom and a quarter... a midnight broom ride with your
momma.

Sheldon

One time on Usenet, Dave Smith > said:
> Doug Kanter wrote:
>
> > I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all have
> > razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting alternatives? I
> > was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with resistance from
> > parents.
>
> We don't have to worry about it any more. We live in the country, close
> enough
> to town that the few kids who do live around here go to there the pickings are
> better. When my son young we used to get his friends coming around. I used to
> male things like caramel corn and toffee apples, but I found out that they
> parents were throwing it out. Talk about paranoia. For the past few years we
> have bought a few chocolate bars just in case someone comes by, but no one
> does, so won't bother this year.

We don't get anyone either -- and now that we have a child,
we're rarely home anyway. Sometimes the neighbor kids will
get here before we leave; we keep a bag of Reeses' around
just in case. That is, if they last until Halloween... ;-)


--
Jani in WA (S'mee)
~ mom, Trollup, novice cook ~

(Doug=A0Kanter)WROTE:
I'm tired of giving out candy, and nobody wants apples because they all
have razor blades or cyanide in them. Anyone have any interesting
alternatives? I was thinking condoms, but I suspect that could meet with
resistance from parents.
------------------------------------------------------
RESPONSE: Few years back I gave out children coupons for Big Boy's
hamburger platter & McDonalds. I was the hit of our apartment complex.
Sadly, most the kids go to the local community center now for halloween
as it really isn't that safe around here now for kids to be knockin on
doors.
Would love to make those clone candy bar recipes I have & wrap in black
foil with tinsel but doubt if parents would go for that now of days.
I miss the days when I was a kid when halloween was for the kids.