No costume, no candy.
Does this happen in your neighborhood? Or is this just a southern phenomenon?
My Mister is in complete disagreement with me, but I have turned into an absolute curmudgeon over this. I find it rude.
On Halloween, since purchasing our house, we have teenagers - old teenagers (some pushing 20!) - show up at our door, no costume, nothing. Just ring the doorbell and stand there staring at us when we open the door.
The first year, two “boys” were in their early twenties! I was aghast!
80% of the time, they won’t even deign to say “trick or treat”. They just stand there looking at you as if you are supposed to magically know that you are to hand them candy because they are standing at your door on Halloween night.
I. am. sorry.
If you come to my door on Halloween night, wear a costume.
If you come to my door on Halloween night expecting candy, wear a costume.
If you come to my door on Halloween night expecting candy, you need to take the time out of your busy schedule to utter that magic phrase that communicates that desire by saying out loud to me, “Trick or Treat”.
If you come to my door on Halloween night, over the age of 14, in street clothes standing there mute and staring at me petulantly in expectation, you had damn well better hope my Mister opens the door, because if it is me there - this year, I’m closing the door.
Learn some manners.
If you are on my doorstep, asking for something from me for free, you damn well better be asking politely.
Learn some damn manners or get off my doorstep.
We love Halloween around here. I even go out of my way to buy regular sized candy bars. Not the fun sized, or even the rip off miniature sized candy bars. No way. I buy regular sized candy bars. I like being the house with good candy on Halloween.
But I expect common decency and I will not tolerate an attitude of entitlement. What you are entitled to is getting off my doorstep and taking your attitude with you.
Me handing you a candy bar on Halloween is simply not one of your constitutionally guaranteed rights. So, if you suddenly find yourself on the other side of my closed door this year, well … stand there for a minute and my Mister will probably run down and rescue you. Because I sure as hell am not going to tolerate this kind of rudeness any longer.
Phew. OK, I think my vent is over.
This just really pushes my buttons, can you tell?
The little kids that come to the door are so precious and so gracious too. They are so excited about their costumes and each one of them has always wanted to tell you exactly what they are and squeal in delight when they see that candy bar go into their bags. And the little kids in costume always always chant in unison a combined Thank You as they run to the next door. So adorable!
The big kids without costumes are surly, as if they know that they are pushing their luck. And you know, if they were being silly and getting into the spirit of things - wearing a costume and joining in on the fun, I don’t think anyone would begrudge them the fun of the moment. I certainly wouldn’t. Heck, we still dress up and have our annual party. We make our guests dress up and attend in the wildest costumes imaginable. We get into the spirit of the holiday. We answer the door on Halloween night in costume, no less.
It is the no costume, no comments, no speaking, just- hand- me- the- free- candy- you- bought- with- your- hard- earned- money- and- I’ll- walk- away- with- no- acknowledgment that I am completely over.
So, this year, I’m making a new rule.
No costume. No candy.
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October 22nd, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Danged streight! Teens have everything handed to them these days and they don’t value anything. I say GO GIRL!
October 22nd, 2007 at 6:47 pm
One fellow in our neighborhood saves all the free duck sauce and soy sauce packets that come with his chinese food orders and hands those out to the no costume surly doorbell ringers. I just cannot be that cruel, but I must admit that it gave me a good giggle at the wickedness when he told me! It really is fighting rudeness with rudeness, but still …. the temptation.
October 23rd, 2007 at 12:29 am
Amen sister!
I can’t wait to see your next Halloween project…….the “No costume. No candy.” door sign/hanger. LOL
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:47 am
It’s so funny you say that - I was just down discussing with my Mister the merits of putting up a sign that says that very thing. He refuses to let me. Harumph.
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:05 am
Oh hell yah! I totally agree with your rant. In fact I have not given out candy to kids who show up without a costume. They MUST say Trick or Treat…of they get nothing! unless of course they are wee and I might have scared them by answering the door in costume! LOL Oh, and I do not give in to the “this is my costume, I am going as a thug” BS…buy your own damn candy thug!
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:28 am
Hear, hear!!!
(Btw, I like the sign idea! LOL!) ;-P
October 26th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
Last year, I opened the door to a surly, big kid with a mask but no other costume on. He didn’t say anything, just held his plastic bag out for candy. I said, “What do you say”? His response? “GIVE ME SOME CANDY!” I coudn’t believe it!! I finally got him to say ‘trick or treat,’ but seriously, I shouldn’t have to work that hard at it.
October 26th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Hanna, that just makes me sick. I am sorry you had to go through that.
Fortunately my husband is so much more patient than I, so he has already decided he is doing door duty this year. (Probably to save the kids from my disgust over that type of attitude.)
October 26th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Last year we just had one trick or treater. He was dressed up. I told him to come back the next day and take the rest of my candy. I didn’t want the three bags I purchased.
October 30th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
My older daughter turned 14 in March. Even though I distinctly remember trick-or-treating at that age I tried to talk her out of going though we bought her costume last night and she is bound and determined. I get more teens than I do little kids! I think I am going to put my foot down this year too in regards to older kids with no costumes. Trouble is, you can guarantee our pumpkins will be pie fodder in the parking lot if I refuse candy to one of these brats.
October 31st, 2007 at 3:34 pm
I’m totally with you. The worst offenders I’ve seen are groups of kids whose parents have dropped them off in my neighborhood and they don’t have any costumes on! I can’t believe these parents let their kids take part in what is essentially, just begging. No costume, no candy is my motto from now on!
November 26th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
My husband is the one who insists on knowing what they are supposed to be - I tend to be a little softer. However, I am also the one who just gave out toothbrushes one year - yes, the little ones said Thank You, but looked so sad / puzzled. I didn’t do that again. Now there are two bowls under my costume - one of good candy for the little ones and one of last year’s candy and toothbrushes for the big kids not in costume.