Depending on where you are collecting candy on Halloween, the free items can be more trick than treat.
One word: Raisins.
Dehydrated grapes that look more at home in the bottom of a toilet rather than the bottom of a plastic pumpkin shouldn’t be considered a Halloween treat.
Ditto for toothbrushes, individual pennies, polished rocks and the errant canned good.
Rocks, canned soup and raisins. Really? Who does that to a child on Halloween?
Geez, the kid went through the trouble of dressing-up, braving chilly temps and navigating around mountains of fallen leaves in the dark. Doesn’t that warrant at least a single piece of candy?
In recent years there’s been an emphasis on handing out “alternative treats” to kids in an effort to reduce obesity, diabetes and general sugar rushes that turn normal children into jacked up Energizer Bunnies. However, these healthier treats don’t always yield positive reactions from costumed kids looking to get their 100 Grand fix before mom calls it a night.
Do you stick with tradition and load up on fun-sized chocolate for pint-sized trick-or-treaters or do you risk having your house TPed by handing out non-sugary crayons and low-cal juice boxes?
If you are concerned about contributing to the sugarification of today’s youth, consider offering the following non-candy items to trick-or-treaters who come knocking Wednesday night:
Stickers
Temporary tattoos
Plastic spider, bat or eyeball rings
Vampire teeth
Super rubber bouncy balls
Clementines decorated with hand drawn jack-o-lantern faces
Halloween-themed pencils
Glow sticks
Key chains
Finger puppets
Yo-yo
Squirt gun
Play-Doh
Just be careful about giving out bells, whistles and mini kazoos. While mini ghouls and goblins may appreciate the Halloween treats, the costumed kids’ parents may find the items to be all trick and TP your house themselves.