Halloween Ethics
Happy Halloween, Washington. Welcome to my favorite holiday, the one that brings together two of my chief passions: candy and clothes.
I’ve been monitoring neighborhood Listservs to see how residents are preparing for tonight’s onslaught, and I discovered that Capitol Hill is embroiled in a serious debate: Do un-costumed kids deserve candy? If so, what kind?
One resident says she and her husband have initiated a policy to deal with costumeless kids. “We are pretty strict about the no costume-no candy rule and my husband revels in skimping out on the older kids with mediocre attempts at dressing up,” one neighbor posted on her local Listserv.
Another responded that plainclothes kids should be viewed within their socio-economic context. “I can understand feeling a bit ripped off by kids and adults who come with no costumes, but I’d like to urge some compassion – for the kids anyway. Younger kids in particular may not have the means or ability to put together a costume if Mom or Dad don’t help. What’s the harm in modeling generosity or teaching compassion by wishing everyone a Happy Halloween and giving out some candy?” she wrote.
Meanwhile, one resident said he was just too scared to deny kids candy. “I concur with the no costume-no candy rule, but then reality strikes. The kids without costumes are usually the kind who will remember your house and return with some ‘tricks.’ So it is better to just pay the protection candy and let them move on. Besides, one kid was pretty funny. I asked what he was dressed as and he said ‘I’m a student in the DC Public Schools, isn’t that scary?!!!’”
3 Responses to “Halloween Ethics”
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November 1st, 2007 at 11:53 am
I gave out play-do that cost $0.10 per tub and pretzels that cost $0.10 per bag. If I can’t afford to hand out $2 in things to kids without costumes then the next time I pay $2 for coffee, someone should smack it out of my hands. My life is endlessly abundant. I give out treats to everyone who comes by. Anyone who doesn’t must live a life of scarcity and that makes me sad.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Have 2 bowls ready - one with cheapie candy like gum, peppermints, hard candy, tootsie rolls, and a bowl with better stuff like chocolate. Keep both bowls out of direct view of door. If older kids show up sans costume because they’re either lazy or free-school-lunch poor, then give them from the cheap bowl. If they want the good candy, they have to make the effort like the little kids & their parents do.
Luckily my ‘hood doesn’t border on ESOL, ghetto or free-lunch areas, so kids without costumes is not such an issue. The problem is our hood is too mamy houses have their house & porch lights fully on, but when you knock & knock, nobody comes. If they ain’t participating, then they need to turn OFF most of their lights so we won’t bother them.
November 14th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Give me a break…we are talking kids here!
But I have said to kids that don’t have a costume…
OMG you scared me, now take off mask…lol
I have given kids, a can of veggies, as a joke…just to see what they do…but they usually crack me up, I can’t keep a straight face…
I have then given them two hand fulls, just to let them know that I was joking….
Parents usually laugh harder than me.
I mean although I hate Halloween, I go along with it, and give out a big hand full, and they move on…
The kids in the neighboor hood who know my kids, have little bags made up for the ones we know…
all others get 3 pieces.