do both?

Casadena · October 23

Dear Prudence,

My wife and I are locked in a dispute over what to pass out on Halloween. She wants to hand out toothbrushes (she’s not even a dentist!) and raisins. I want to give out Kit Kats, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Skittles, and Starbursts.

Her rationale is that she doesn’t want to be “complicit” in ruining the health of the kids who trick-or-treat at our place. Halloween is once a year, and I think she’s being a killjoy. I’ll admit I want to be able to eat the leftover candy, but I also don’t want to see our house get egged and toilet papered by disappointed kids later in the night. What can I do to get her to understand that giving kids candy on Halloween—a holiday that revolves around candy!—isn’t the end of the world?

—Candy Isn’t a Crime

VarunaTT · October 23

Either give the candy or turn off your lights. She IS being a killjoy, kids know to brush their teeth, they don't need a random neighbor reminding them. Stop sucking the joy out of everything, FFS.

banana468 · October 23

VarunaTT said:

Either give the candy or turn off your lights. She IS being a killjoy, kids know to brush their teeth, they don't need a random neighbor reminding them. Stop sucking the joy out of everything, FFS.

NO ONE LIKES THE RAISIN HOUSE!

Unless the toothbrush is taped to a full size Reese's absolutely not. Compromise here is doing BOTH.

charlotte989875 · October 23

She needs to stop trying to parent other people’s kids.

levioosa · October 23

It's friggen Halloween. It's like, the one day of the year you can enjoy a meal of candy. Stop being a killjoy.

ei34 · October 23

Yikes. Yeah, there are homes that just don't participate. Toothbrushes are so passive aggressive. And raisins aren't even particularly good for your teeth (though my kids all eat them regularly, they floss regularly too).

short+sassy · October 23

banana468 said:

VarunaTT said:

Either give the candy or turn off your lights. She IS being a killjoy, kids know to brush their teeth, they don't need a random neighbor reminding them. Stop sucking the joy out of everything, FFS.

NO ONE LIKES THE RAISIN HOUSE!

Unless the toothbrush is taped to a full size Reese's absolutely not. Compromise here is doing BOTH.

This is a hilarious compromise and I love it.

I'm with the LW. It's Halloween! Not a health fair.

downtondiva · October 23

It's Halloween. Give out candy. These kids' parents are responsible for their kids' diet and dental health, not you.

When I was a kid, I would've been PISSED to get raisins when trick-or-treating. Hell, I wouldn't even want them now!

banana468 · October 23

short+sassy said:

banana468 said:

VarunaTT said:

Either give the candy or turn off your lights. She IS being a killjoy, kids know to brush their teeth, they don't need a random neighbor reminding them. Stop sucking the joy out of everything, FFS.

NO ONE LIKES THE RAISIN HOUSE!

Unless the toothbrush is taped to a full size Reese's absolutely not. Compromise here is doing BOTH.

This is a hilarious compromise and I love it.

I'm with the LW. It's Halloween! Not a health fair.

It would need a joke! REACH for those back teeth after you eat this!
Brush away the cobwebs and chocolate!

short+sassy · October 23

banana468 said:

short+sassy said:

banana468 said:

VarunaTT said:

Either give the candy or turn off your lights. She IS being a killjoy, kids know to brush their teeth, they don't need a random neighbor reminding them. Stop sucking the joy out of everything, FFS.

NO ONE LIKES THE RAISIN HOUSE!

Unless the toothbrush is taped to a full size Reese's absolutely not. Compromise here is doing BOTH.

This is a hilarious compromise and I love it.

I'm with the LW. It's Halloween! Not a health fair.

It would need a joke! REACH for those back teeth after you eat this!
Brush away the cobwebs and chocolate!

True! Otherwise it could still be taken as judgmental instead of humor.

MesmrEwe · October 23

...Instead of kids eating the eggs they'll be throwing them at your house... THIS is how you become the target of cheesing, TPing, and egging... LW FTW - put the snacky snacks out...

I will say this though - the Potato and Ramen Houses are everyone's favorite here!!! Even in our tiny little niche of the world they go through a 50lb. bag and run out! AND Both put out a bucket of Halloween Snacky Snacks!!!!

short+sassy · October 23

MesmrEwe said:

...Instead of kids eating the eggs they'll be throwing them at your house... THIS is how you become the target of cheesing, TPing, and egging... LW FTW - put the snacky snacks out...

I will say this though - the Potato and Ramen Houses are everyone's favorite here!!! Even in our tiny little niche of the world they go through a 50lb. bag and run out! AND Both put out a bucket of Halloween Snacky Snacks!!!!

I am fascinated and want to make sure I understand. I'm picturing there is a house in your neighborhood that gives out a potato and another one that gives out a packet of ramen, in addition to candy.

If I ever live somewhere again that has trick or treaters, my current house unfortunately doesn't, I'm stealing this idea and am going to be the Ramen House!

VarunaTT · October 23

I'm just going to say that everyone on threads is making fun of ramen house.

IDK why people can't just give candy on Halloween. You don't even have to be clever or witty, just buy a bag of candy and put in on the porch.

charlotte989875 · October 23

VarunaTT said:

I'm just going to say that everyone on threads is making fun of ramen house.

IDK why people can't just give candy on Halloween. You don't even have to be clever or witty, just buy a bag of candy and put in on the porch.

Right? This isn’t something we need to innovate on. Candy is great no notes.

short+sassy · October 23

VarunaTT said:

I'm just going to say that everyone on threads is making fun of ramen house.

IDK why people can't just give candy on Halloween. You don't even have to be clever or witty, just buy a bag of candy and put in on the porch.

Why would anyone complain about free ramen? I agree candy should be part of the give-out also, since that is what is expected. I didn't know it was a thing. I've never heard of it.

Some of it is wishing ramen was given out when I was a kid. I've always leaned more to savory than sweet. Oh! But there were occasionally houses that gave out little bags of chips. That was my favorite.

Casadena · 12:32PM

I must be a huge nerd then, i would totally get excited about a toothbrush as kid. and as an adult I wouldn't think anything passive aggressive at all. Candy is great, but I don't particularly care about it. IF someone is egging houses becuase they got a new toothbrush they're assholes. Don't take one or just go to another house.

banana468 · 12:34PM

Casadena said:

I must be a huge nerd then, i would totally get excited about a toothbrush as kid. and as an adult I wouldn't think anything passive aggressive at all. Candy is great, but I don't particularly care about it. IF someone is egging houses becuase they got a new toothbrush they're assholes. Don't take one or just go to another house.

Yeah no. This isn't changing the channel on a TV. This is the kids walking up to a house and the understood aspect is trick or treat.

A toothbrush isn't a treat.

Egging is the trick.

No, it's not a cool or right thing to do here but it's LITERALLY what the kids say when they get to a house.

Casadena · 12:44PM

banana468 said:

Casadena said:

I must be a huge nerd then, i would totally get excited about a toothbrush as kid. and as an adult I wouldn't think anything passive aggressive at all. Candy is great, but I don't particularly care about it. IF someone is egging houses becuase they got a new toothbrush they're assholes. Don't take one or just go to another house.

Yeah no. This isn't changing the channel on a TV. This is the kids walking up to a house and the understood aspect is trick or treat.

A toothbrush isn't a treat.

Egging is the trick.

No, it's not a cool or right thing to do here but it's LITERALLY what the kids say when they get to a house.

Vandalism because you got a toothbrush? Give me a break.

Not saying toothbrushes are cool, but it literally takes 30 seconds of your time if you don't want it to say no thanks and move on to a million other houses who are doing it "right".

I do not understand the outrage around this.

banana468 · 1:03PM

Casadena said:

banana468 said:

Casadena said:

I must be a huge nerd then, i would totally get excited about a toothbrush as kid. and as an adult I wouldn't think anything passive aggressive at all. Candy is great, but I don't particularly care about it. IF someone is egging houses becuase they got a new toothbrush they're assholes. Don't take one or just go to another house.

Yeah no. This isn't changing the channel on a TV. This is the kids walking up to a house and the understood aspect is trick or treat.

A toothbrush isn't a treat.

Egging is the trick.

No, it's not a cool or right thing to do here but it's LITERALLY what the kids say when they get to a house.

Vandalism because you got a toothbrush? Give me a break.

Not saying toothbrushes are cool, but it literally takes 30 seconds of your time if you don't want it to say no thanks and move on to a million other houses who are doing it "right".

I do not understand the outrage around this.

Give me a break.

Kids want candy. Halloween is candy. Walk through the supermarkets for what's marketed for Halloween for kids: Candy.

Giving a toothbrush is not in the spirit of the holiday at all. For young kids, they'll just be annoyed after parents walk around and then in the packs when you run into other parents at the end of the driveway you get "Don't bother! They're giving out toothbrushes at the door!" And for the big kids who aren't aware when they get there they're going to be irritated that people are not doing things in the spirit of the holiday.

No, I don't think vandalism is OK. My point isn't that egging is acceptable (and right now at the cost it's expensive!) but if you aren't giving a treat then tricks are headed your way.

This isn't 'cooler heads will prevail'. It's a night we accept kids going feral.

charlotte989875 · 1:05PM

Even our dentist is chill about Halloween; try do a candy trade where you get a prize but then they’re entered into a drawing for like AirPods and other like actually good prizes.

Casadena · 1:45PM

I'm totally chill about HAlloween, my kids have candy, we give out candy. Some houses give out small toys, some give out chips, some give out toothbrushes. I think everyone is blowing this way out of proportion. Do what you want, if people dont' take them cool. If people retaliate becuase you're giving out free shit but it's not what they want, you're a jerk.

do both?

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