# The Treats You Give **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 31, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643 "2006-10-31T21:08:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/21 "2006-11-01T01:08:25Z")
When I was a kid I was thrilled to get a full-sized candy bar. I think when I was very little we didn’t have “fun-sized” yet, but most people gave out lollipops or something else other than chocolate bars. This year was the first year I gave out full-sized bars. Most of the kids didn’t seem to notice, being too hyped up, but a few them noticed and were really impressed. Made me feel good all over. I’ll do it again next year. I had just about 70 kids. One bar per kid. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/22 "2006-11-01T01:12:42Z")
I’m giving out Archie Comics Digests! Gets the kids reading, & the little guys like a bit o swag with their corn-syrup-spiked goo. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/23 "2006-11-01T01:41:32Z")
I have around 60 little boxes of Junior Mints, 20 or so packages of Hersheys Kissables, and 20 or so little Milky Ways. At one per kid, I should be able to get rid of most of them…except those very few I saved for me. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/24 "2006-11-01T01:54:56Z")
This year I’m giving out Milky Ways, Kit-Kats, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, all fun size, 2 per kid; except that the teenage kid with no costume yelling “Come on out, we’ve got candy” only got 1. I always consider getting the full-size, but I always end up passing on them because of the price. Maybe next year. We had the cool house that gave out full-size bars on our street–and then they came over and gave my mom all the leftover candy (and they always had leftovers). And it wasn’t “one per kid”, either–it was “hold out a cake pan full of candy and say “Dig in” to the kids”. The other cool house in the neighborhood was a few blocks away and they gave out comic books. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/25 "2006-11-01T01:59:18Z")
[QUOTE=Kat] except that the teenage kid with no costume yelling “Come on out, we’ve got candy” only got 1. [/QUOTE] :smack: Er.. that should be “Come on out, _we want_ candy.” Don’t ask me what I was thinking. I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/26 "2006-11-01T02:16:22Z")
I loved the houses that brought out the big guns, they were usually the same houses that were always good to hit up at fund-raiser time too. I’d do it if I could, but we just get way too many TOTers around here, about 150 tonight. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/27 "2006-11-01T02:27:10Z")
Last week, when my sister and I were together, my son was waxing enthusiastic about the prospect of trick-or-treating with his friend, with whom he’d TOT’d before. “There’s a house in his neighborhood that gives out FULL-SIZE CANDY BARS!” I turned to my sister and said, “Do you remember getting full-size candy bars at Mrs. Casey’s house?” You betcha she did, for lo these 30+ years. (Another biggie was getting full-size boxes of Cracker Jack – the kind that came in a three-pack taped together.) It is a memorable thing, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/28 "2006-11-01T02:33:08Z")
Tonight, in the Chez FaerieBeth Massive Cauldron of Candy, we had a selection of KitKats, Reese’s Cups, Three Musketeers, Milky Ways\*, Pixie Stix, Smarties, Tootsie Rolls, DumDums, and bubble gum. We started out with 4 pieces of candy per ToTer, but by the time the people from out of neighborhood started showing up with truck loads of kids, I’d gone down to two pieces per. I actually did give the couple of teenagers who showed up some candy, even though they weren’t wearing costumes. They were two boys, about 16ish I’d say, shepherding three smaller children that appeared to be younger siblings. They looked less than thrilled to have been assigned chaperon duty, so I rewarded their familial service. \*all candy bars were fun sized. ---
**Author:** ![Penchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/74df32/32.png) [@Penchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penchan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/29 "2006-11-01T10:20:32Z")
Oh man I miss those houses that gave out full-sized candy bars. And I really miss that one house that gave out king-sized candy bars. Those were awesome. I wish I could be a kid again, just for Halloween 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/30 "2006-11-01T12:25:13Z")
[QUOTE=norinew] I will beat up little kids to get their buttered popcorn flavored dum-dums! 😉 [/QUOTE] Eewwww! Those are disgusting. They’re like harded movie theater “butter flavoring.” You can have 'em all. : barfing smilie : I gave all the kids two or three each and still have a bunch left over. At least I know I won’t eat them. Okay, I’m off to raid the BiblioKid’s stash for Junior Mints and 3 Mustketeers bars! Mmmm, chocolate! ---
**Author:** ![MizGrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@MizGrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizGrand)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/31 "2006-11-01T15:06:19Z")
I’m highly disappointed in the fact that I don’t think we got even one kid here. We take the boys to TOT in my SIL’s neighborhood - a nicer area, but still. There’s gotta be a bunch of kids in the Section 8 apts around the corner. But none came. My friendly bowl of candy on the well-lit and signed doorstep didn’t appear to even have been touched. I always walk out hoping that someone will have come and taken my candy. I KNOW I’m not the street’s crazy bitch. That’s next door. My husband made an observation last night that we (collective we) just don’t _do_ Halloween like in the old days some thirty years ago. I told him that yes, _we_ do, it’s just all the other people that don’t. Not sure if it’s different cultures or what, could well be. Damn shame. It’s just harmless fun for kids that’s gotten skewed over the years. Or the parents of said other children are lazy? Or believe it’s Paganist? Again, damn shame. Can’t even have “Halloween Parties” at school anymore. No costume parade, no costumes at school at all. WTF? So now I’ve got several pounds of M & M’s just sitting there daring me. Boogers. Gonna have to off them somehow! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/32 "2006-11-01T15:24:43Z")
It rained. No kids. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/33 "2006-11-01T15:52:12Z")
My parents used to be the ones to give out fullsized. If I had trick-or-treaters, I would do fullsize. I’m in an apartment, though, so no candy. I was surprised - I did have a couple knock on my door. I didn’t buy candy, though, so I just didn’t answer. Susan ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/34 "2006-11-01T16:32:17Z")
I remember going TOT with some friends from a different neighborhood because a house over there gave out full-sized stuff. My mom would slip my brother and I’s friends full sized bars along with the regular stuff she gave everyone else. And then when we got home I would make sure to give her all the chocolate I didn’t like - stuff with caramel or nuts in it. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/35 "2006-11-01T16:50:56Z")
We bought five bags of Reese’s PBC and one of Nestle’s Crunch. We didn’t have a lot of kids so we had a ton of leftover Reese’s (husband’s favorite). Since husband was being an ass, I gave all the leftovers to my 16 yr old son. I’m now the cool mom. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/36 "2006-11-01T16:54:27Z")
[QUOTE=Max Torque] So, this Halloween I’ll be at home, handing out the treats. This year, as I’ve done for many years, I bought full-size candy bars (Snickers and Twix this year), to parcel out, one per costumed kiddo. I do this because, when I was a kid, I remember that the house that gave out the full-sized candy bars was The Most Awesome House In The Neighborhood. And I want to be That Cool Guy, the one who gives out the full-sized bars. This, however, seems to irritate my wife to a degree I find really confusing. She says, “That’s like $60 worth of candy!” (no, it’s more like $25) And she says that bars that big will give the kids major sugar highs. But it looks to me like if you gave just three of the miniatures to each kid , you’re actually giving them as much more candy than they’d get in one full-sized bar (and three miniatures, deceptively, looks stingier than one big bar). This year, she was so incensed that I’d bought the full-sized bars again that she told me that _she_ will be buying the candy next year. Frankly, I doubt it’s about the kids; I think she just doesn’t want _me_ having access to the full-sized bars. Which leads me to the questions: do you all remember getting the same “woohoo” that I did when you got a full-sized candy bar as a kid out trick-or-treating? Am I a horrible person for giving out full-sized candy bars? And, what sort of treats are _you_ handing out this year? [/QUOTE] **Max Torque** , _high-five_ This is Exactly what I like doing, and my wife Hates it when I do it. She insists that we buy 2 boxes of sandwhich sized ziplocks and fill each one with one mini bar, one lolly-pop, one airhead, and one on-sale-junk thing. Its 2-hours out of my life every October to assemble to her exact OCD specifications what we must give out. BTW, if there are extras of any one item, I am Forbidden to add them to the Ziplocks…they are to be handed out at the end right before the porch lights go out. PS- I also like taking all the left-over candy into the office for disposal the next day. Everytime I mention this, all the chocolate bags Magically Disapear, only to be found 6 months later under her side of the bed, covered in cat-fur and dust-bunnies, and suitable only for the garbage. Being overly dramatic, you say? Well it was just this past week that I found her grungy melted stash of chocolate EASTER CANDY!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/37 "2006-11-01T17:24:18Z")
We got 3 big bags of mixed non-chocolate candy. dum-dums, swedish fish, nerds, smarties, sweettarts, dubble bubble, lemon heads, all that sort of stuff. Got near 100 ToT’s and we still have a bit left over to snack on ourselves. Unfortunately I did have to get a bit stingy near the end, but at least we didn’t have to close up shop early. My biggest concern is running out, the little stuff can be cut back on a bit if you’re getting short, you can’t give 3/4 of a candy bar. Next year, I’ll bump it up to 4 or 5 bags. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643/38 "2006-11-01T23:23:03Z")
For the last 7 years, we’ve been giving out 18" long Pixy Stix. Yes, plastic tubes full of colored sugar. But we are by far the coolest house in the neighborhood (for 1 night a year.) The first year it was a beautiful night, and we had the windows open. You could hear the kids on the street calling to each other “WOW, you have to see what this house has!” So far, none of the parents have threatened to beat us up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-treats-you-give/378643.md?page=1)