A few days late, but better late than never, right??
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| Our pumpkin (we're no carving pros over here) |
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| Carey (the head carver) and his helpers. My job is to roast the seeds. |
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| Emmett's getting into character |
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| Snow White |
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| The cutest construction worker ever (sorry Carey!) |
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| Ready to go!! |
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| Checking out the "haul" |
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| "What to eat first???" |
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| This black goopy stuff (for playing, not eating) was the hit of the evening. |
The kids had a blast trick or treating, and we had about 80-85 kids come by our place. Some of them really impressed me (like the kid dressed as a mime who wordlessly stayed in character the whole time, even tipping his hat to me to "say" thank you), and others made me question why I hand out candy at all (like the teenagers who were on their cell phones while holding out their bags, or the woman who totally looked like a mom who was collecting her own bag of candy - she was in costume though...).
Anyways, now it's done for another year, and there's just the question of what to do with all the candy. In the past I've rationed it out slowly to Annika, and it's lasted for far too long. This year I've decided to take a different approach, and will let the kids eat all the candy they want (within reason, and at reasonable times) until Monday, and then whatever is left is leaving the house (a friend of mine is taking it to her daughter's Brownie group to donate to Ronald McDonald House). The kids don't need to be eating all that junk (especially Emmett, who is a very picky eater and would much rather eat junk than real food), and honestly Carey and I don't need to be eating it either. Next year I'm thinking about doing a "buy back" or swap for the candy - let them have their candy for a day and then offer to trade them the candy for a new toy or something like that.
6 comments:
I laughed out loud at the look on Emmett's face-- he certainly is the cutest construction worker. I liked your ideas on what to do with the extra candy. We've rationed in the past as well, and (aside from Troy and I eating the chocolate bars--guilty!!), the other candy lasts well into the new year. Hmm. I wonder if she'd go for the "buy back"...
I like your idea of the buy-back and/or donation to Ronald McDonald House. The black gooy stuff looks like a lot of fun! Buy a few more of those and I suspect you could exchange A LOT of candy for one of those.
As for the teenagers on their cell phones - get your cell phone and pretend to talk and ignore them! See if they get the hint. I'm tough on teens that trick or treat. If they want something from me - they've got to sing or something like that. If they're really into it, great but if they're being rude, I don't think so!
My parents always rationed my candy ~ one a day till Christmas, I believe. (if it lasted that long!!)
I love the idea of donating it to Ronald McDonald house, though.
Oh, and I thought Emmett was definitely the cutest construction worker I've ever seen, too!
Gin, I like your idea about how to handle surly, rude, and/or un-costumed teens. Our former principal always makes kids sing too, in costume or not... and the older kids just don't go to her house anymore!!
I've gotten lazy over the years with the older trick-or-treaters. I think I'm exhausted enough being a parent to my own children 24/7 that I don't want to waste any energy parenting OTHER people's children. :P
I love having treats for the kids that last the whole year long (the kids were literally still picking out of their 2011 stash the day before Halloween this year). They eat most within the first week of course, and then the novelty wears off and it's just handy to have those little treats around all year.
I see the benefit of donating the candy somewhere, but on the other hand, as someone who has to spend at least $60 on treats every year for our 300+ visitors (which, to us, is a LOT of money!)...it just seems like what's the point then if the parents just want the candy out of their house.
ps: that picture of Carey and the kids...you can't see any of Carey's body so it looks like he's just a floating head. :)
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