Parents Who Bring Their Own Trick or Treat Bags

i have never had this happen or heard of this happening.

If I were you, I would keep coupons on the bottom of the candy bowl to give to the parents. 30 cents of toilet tissue. 50 cents off toothpaste, 40 cents off Soft scrub bathroom cleansers.

I thought I had heard it all.
I think I would just flat out look them dead in the eye and say, without a smile on my face, you ARE kidding, right?
Wow.

I've never seen that, I would totally be put off by that. I'd have to say, "sorry mom and dad, candy's for the kids only!"

The nerve! why don't they just steal it from their kids' bags like the rest of us grown ups.

I think it's annoying and tacky too. We get about 300 kids, so I don't have extra for the parents. Funny story along those lines...

I had a birthday party at my home for my 3 year old nephew a few weeks back. My cousin came with her 1 year old son (just turned 1). I had filled a large pinita with lots of treats and toys for the kids at the party. I handed out bags to all the kids before the pinita was opened and never thought to give one to my cousin because her son doesn't/shouldn't eat candy. So, when my son hits the pinita and breaks it, my cousin and aunt (her mom) take one of my 3 year old nephew's gift bags and proceed to fill it with goodies from the pinita. Then start trading with the other little kids for the better goodies and then go in the house and clear out the candy dishes in the house...why....so she had candy to hand out to her trick or treaters....I didn't know I was running a trick or treat donation site!!! I thought that was really really tacky!

LOL..."don't forget about mama"!! You know what, that cracks me up. Especially the part where she shakes her bag like a loser. I have never seen parents trick or treat. I mean, the dirty little secret is that we all eat some of kids candy so we don't really need to bother with our own begging. I will say that since my son does not eat chocolate I do often nudge him in the direction of the candy I like. I hope it's not too obvious!

Honestly I have never seen this. But what I did see last year was my friends brought an extra Wal-mart plastic bag to empty their children's candy into when their bags got too full so the kids didn't have to lug around a five lb bag!! I like that idea and will do this to alleviate some of the weight of my kids bags. But I would never, ever bring my own bag. That is very tacky!!

Of course it's tacky. The exception being the parent who is carrying a bag for a kid who got tired of carrying it, but even then it's only if the kids is there and participating and the parent is trying to get the kid to say thank you.

Just say, "I'm sorry, I only bought enough for the children." If you want to be more direct or they argue, say they are welcome to come back tomorrow to see if there is anything left, or tell them you are donating it to soldiers overseas (actually, a lot of communities collect the leftovers and send them to Afghanistan!). Or tell her it will all be half price at the supermarket in the morning.

Laurie's idea about coupons is hilarious! I'd do coupons for wrinkle cream or Preparation H though!

You've seen someone do that?! HAHAHA!

Oh my. People never cease to amaze me.

I honestly don't know how I'd react.

What irks me are the bratty kids who push and dig their grimy hands into the candy dish I have out and take 5 times as much as the other kids, even though I am actually passing the candy out!

My favorite is the parents who come to the door "trick-or-treating" for their 2 month old infant. REALLY??? We all know who's getting that candy, and it ain't that little baby!

Ya I wouldn't give them any,but from the first time I took my first child out to trick or treat they always said hey take some for your mama too...Numerous times over I say Thank You and move on no sense in casuing a commotion over a piece of candy.They were nice and thoughtful

Growing up on a farm in a REALLY small town, if an adult had come to our door - child in tow or not - asking for candy... I would have given it to them. Heck, my mom and her friends (Who are in their 50's) go trick or treating to each others' houses (The husbands are home passing out candy) every year and they have a blast doing it!

This year my husband and I are living in an apartment in a slightly larger yet still pretty small town. I don't see a problem with giving candy to adults, so if anyone came to my door saying the magic words I would give them a piece.

What this post is essentially saying is - Come to my apartment if you want free candy!!! :P

Hey, was the lady who said "Don't forget about mama!" June from Honey Boo Boo???

Laurie - that's hilarious.

I've never had that happen to me, but if they went to the effort to dress up in a costume, then I'd give it to them. Otherwise, I'd push back.

I carry a bag, but I don't collect candy. The kids dump their candy into my big bag when their little bags get full.

Tacky and I have never seen it. I would not give candy to an adult. There is a house in our neighborhood that hands out cold beer to the adults though. I am good with that.

I think you're taking things way too seriously.

If they're in costume, I give them candy. I don't care how old they are. If they were 75 years old and in costume, I'd give them candy.

And, in contrast, no costume, no candy.

I hate when teens come to my door in street clothes and ask for candy. Uhm, what? It's halloween. Dress up.

that would make M. laugh. you're taking you're candy too seriously. my kid would be so upset if you said no to M. (although i wouldnt ask) she'd probably refuse to take theirs as well. unless you're in an insane high traffic area (100's of kids and could run out of candy) I dont see the problem. I mean she;s probably giving out candy at her house too right?
it is a tad tacky, but i like humor and that would be worth it to M.. plus she';s probably having fun with her kids

we steal from the kids when theyre not looking=) actually they ask us if we want any most of the time. plenty of people offer us candy as well and thats sweet. where we live they dont get much traffic so theyre eating it if they brought it not kids.

we do the second bag to dump their candy in to lighten the load. i';ve never actually asked for candy since i was 15 and when i was 15 we went around trading what we had for diferent kinds. all of the adults on the city block joined in on the trading candy and had fun with it

I have never heard of this but if it did happen I would never refuse them. If you need candy bad enough to trick or treat then have at it-I will not deny you a snickers.

I can't say I've ever had that happen but I do agree with you.....that is tacky.
Your response to them about only having a small amount and its only for the kids was great....I'll use that if it ever happens over here.:)

iv never seen anyone do it... so0oo tacky .. id probably just look at them and be like ...umm really? how old are you?

I've never seen an adult bring a bag, but I have been given candy by people when I am taking my daughter around the neighborhood. People insisted that I have one, too. I guess it depends on the level of generosity of people.

If someone told me they had a sick kid at home, I would believe them.

Well, if the parent showed up with a shot glass instead of a treat bag, then it would make more sense to me :)

I do fill all bags that come to my door. But I DO give the look for the ones that bring their baby without teeth to the door with a treat bag.

I've never had this happen and I would NOT give candy to the parents! lol

I know exactly what you are talking about. I've had it happen a lot to me, especially as we have gone 'up' in neighborhood status. I think they are collecting the candy to take take to work. Good for you for speaking up.

However, in one neighborhood, there's this guy who passes out Twinkies every year, and every year I would ask for one for myself. But I ate it right then. He worked for Hostess. I miss that house. It was my annual treat.

HA HHHAHHH HAAHA! I've never had the nerve to say no. I've held a bag once or twice for my OBVIOUS tiny child whose hand I'm holding-and actually the people gave it to me without me holding it out because they saw it was my child's. What bugs me are the enormous teens out trick-or-treating in groups FOR CANDY. Scary. Sad.

I've never had that happen, but if they were dressed up, I'd give them a piece.

I do keep little things, coloring books, little toys, for the neighbor hood kids who are too little for candy. We live on a cul-de-sac, though and barely get any kids, so we know pretty much who's coming every time. :-)

I agree with you. I wouldn't give it to adults.

I would just get some really good candy (like Reese's PB Cups and Kit Kats) for the kids and then some little pieces of stuff like Tootsie Rolls (midget size) and Dum Dum suckers and Smarties for the adults that may show up.

Last year one of our neighbor's kids really was too sick to go trick-or-treating (vomiting, etc.), but she didn't make the rounds collecting candy for her either. I did make up a little goody bag of some of our candy and brought it to their house the next day though.

I have never had this happen, not ever, with the exception of a parent who is holding a small child and has a bag for that child. Weird.

Lol! I've never had that happen.
But thanks to Laurie A., I might have to tuck a few coupons in the treat bowl!!!

The only time I put in candy in a parent's bag is if the parents were trying to get a 2 year old child to hold the bag.

Good luck to you and yours.

Out here just about everyone get's candy that is dressed in a costume, sometimes you don't have to even be dressed or at the door and the person will send an extra piece down for you anyways.

I think it's fine, I wouldn't want to see every single parent out there doing it but the occasional adult who hasn't outgrown the spirit would get candy from me.

We have quite a few every year. I figure if an adult has the nerve/need to ask for candy, it's all yours.

I have done that. Only because one of my children were so sick they could not come out. I would never do it for myself.

yup happens.. or they have a bag..and say it is for little susie taht is home sick.

we have good candy for kids.. we have pennies or small (teeny tiny ) candy for teens and adults that are just scammers..

I have NEVER had an adult come to the door with their own trick or treat bag. I think I would assume they were collecting candy for a sick child and probably give them some. But if I knew it was for the adult, I would give them some but would do it while shaking my head!

I have noticed a lot of parents who come with newborns or kids under 1 and a trick-or-treat bag. That always strikes me as odd. Who is eating that candy? But I guess they come with their siblings, so maybe it is a way to include the youngest.

I guess some parents have come really dressed up and I haven't thought much about giving them candy.

ETA:
I see the parents when I help give out candy at my own parents house, where they literally close down the streets and we give out 1000 pieces of candy,(yes, we count the candy, so we can keep track of how many people come to the door, it's so crazy, you just want a record of it!). So you notice even more when an adult comes to get in on the action. We get a lot of adults there.

I don't get too many but a few. I might give the parent candy--depends on whether they got dressed up and play the whole part. Last year, we had a tenant that had all their relatives come by us, parked illegally blocking the view of the street at the corner, and then the ladies used their purses for trick or treat. One had 3 bags. I really REALLY hope they stay home or go somewhere else this year. That whole group was just plain rude and roudy (but not our problem anymore). Anyway, I don't have a problem giving them a piece but I have told some that I will only give to real trick or treaters. I have had some people offer me candy when out with my kids.

There is a man, his kid and another neighbor kid (all who have issues) who all go trick-or-treating togehter. These people all have jobs and are all over 20. I was surprised the first time and really don't like to give them candy especially since I already gave out candy to them at the trunk-or-treat. But I don't know how to tell him no.

I hear ya. I get pissed at that too.

People here generally lie and say they have a sick kid at home, I bought it the first time, but when the fifth family came up and gave me that same line I got pissed and turned off the light.
I happened to remember a few of them from that year and was disgusted when they did it again the next year.

I do have to say i'm a bit scared of them coming back and breaking out all my windows or keying my car in the drive.