Problem: Kids may receive candy at Halloween that could be poisoned or contain sharp objects. Too, the kids may prefer things other than candy.
-- Nov. 3, 2005: Snopes may have to issue a retraction on their proclamation of safe Halloween candy. See links below for a few post Halloween news items. --
Suggestion: Large chain stores could offer, say, sheets of 100 coupons good for say, 10 cents each. The trick or treaters would be given the "safe" coupons (rather than potentially dangerous/unhealthy candy) which could be exchanged for anything in the store. The coupons could printed with or shaped in the form of spooky characters, celebrities, etc. -- and take on the characteristics of trading cards. Coupons could be numbered so that certain coupons would have "special powers" and "pay off" with a special prize. Or certain "hands" of coupons, such as certain "hands" in a playing card game, could also have certain "magic characteristics" and offer special rewards. Kids could trade coupons amongst each other in order to gather the coupons for the specific store(s) each child preferred, and to make the coupon "hand" matches required to acquire the "special powers/" prizes. The stores would benefit too as the merchant's names would be frequently on the minds and lips of the kids and the parents who will bring the kids to the stores for coupon redemption. The parents will shop at the stores for other goods while there.
2013-02-22 Now baked. See the link below.
2013-11-01 2013 pin and poison candy articles posted, so far. The Halloween candy lobby must spend a fortune each year paying off Snopes, and other writers, to claim all candy is safe.-- Sunstone, Oct 31 2005 Snopes: Poisoned halloween candy (FALSE) http://www.snopes.c...oison/halloween.aspTime to debunk that old canard again, I guess... [jutta, Oct 31 2005] Día de los Muertos http://www.mexconne...e/daydeadindex.htmlForeigners have more trouble understanding "El Día de Muertos" than any of Mexico's other fiestas... but here's a good index (including photo essays so you know what cemeteries look like during these holidays) and articles that describe this tradition better than I will ever be able to. [Pericles, Oct 31 2005] My idea for a nice halloween... The_20Haunted_20ResortsI would exchange all the candy I got as a kid to find a place like this. [Pericles, Oct 31 2005] Drugs in Halloween Bag http://deseretnews....9,635158053,00.htmlCocaine in Halloween treat bag spurs probe [Sunstone, Nov 05 2005] (?) Halloween Treat Bags contain dangers http://www.azcentra.../imgs/h_section.gifFeces, Needle, found in Halloween Treat Bags [Sunstone, Nov 05 2005] (?) Needles, Pills in Treats http://www.cbc.ca/n...chips_20051104.htmlHeadache pills found in Halloween chips, needle in candy [Sunstone, Nov 05 2005] (?) Needle in Halloween Candy http://www.news-reg...111202005_new04.aspNeedle found In Halloween candy [Sunstone, Nov 05 2005] (?) Keep Halloween candy from pets http://www.upi.com/...051030-110748-7987rHalloween chocolate can be especially toxic to pets [Sunstone, Nov 05 2005] (?) Halloween Candy/Allergies http://www.wlns.com...?S=4045414&nav=0RbQCandy allergens can trigger a serious reaction [Sunstone, Nov 05 2005] Gold Needle in Candy http://www.wtov9.co...5218865/detail.htmlSmall gold needle embedded in the candy [Sunstone, Nov 05 2005] Candy-wrapped razor blade http://www.canada.c...5-bc4a-cdf5b5d9bae9Mission toddler handed a candy-wrapped razor blade [Sunstone, Nov 05 2005] (?) Butterfinger's inch long needle http://www.journals...9ce363311596586.txtNore pulled an inch-long sewing needle — out of her mouth [Sunstone, Nov 05 2005] Metal baked into Chinese produced candy http://news.yahoo.c...n_re_us/candy_bladeRazor blades in candy [Sunstone, Feb 15 2008] Melamine poison http://www.dailynew...oned-with-melamine/Melamine poison [Sunstone, Nov 06 2008] Halloween candy can be deadly http://tristatehome...fulltext/?cid=35961Halloween candy can be deadly [Sunstone, Nov 06 2008] Oklahoma Poison Control Center warns of halloween candy dangers http://www.oklahoma...d.asp?InterestID=49Oklahoma Poison Control Center warns of halloween candy danger [Sunstone, Nov 06 2008] Trick-or-treaters given tainted chocolate http://www.newsdurh...news/article/112035They were recalled almost two years ago, but tainted chocolate bars have resurfaced in the loot bags of Oshawa trick-or-treaters. [Sunstone, Nov 06 2008] Pin found in Halloween candy in Clifton Park http://news10now.co...n-park/Default.aspx"She had opened the 3 Musketeers and thought that it was a piece of the foil that was still on the back of the 3 Musketeers," said the girl's mother. But it was no wrapper. The 13-year-old said it was a pin inside her candy bar. [Sunstone, Nov 06 2008] Halloween Coupon handouts now baked https://www.google....al&client=firefox-a [Sunstone, Feb 22 2013] Report of Sewing Needle Found in Piece of Halloween Candy, Calvert County, Md.Authorities Say http://www.nbcwashi...-Say-230226311.html [Sunstone, Nov 01 2013] Drug-Laced Candy Cache Seized By Pennsylvania Police Days Before Halloween http://www.huffingt...ized_n_4173339.html [Sunstone, Nov 01 2013] Officials: Third Party May Have Tampered with Halloween Candy http://www.kolotv.c...unty-230155041.html [Sunstone, Nov 02 2013] Experts at the West Virginia Poison Center warn parents to use caution and keep safety in mind for their trick-or-treaters this Halloween. http://www.newsands...ected.html?nav=5061 [Sunstone, Nov 02 2013] ... gave the poison candy to his son and daughter but also to four other children http://www.mirror.c...t-real-life-2657825 [Sunstone, Nov 02 2013] Pennsylvania boy Reports Finding Razor Blade in Halloween Candy http://abcnews.go.c...in-halloween-candy/ [Sunstone, Nov 12 2013] Denver woman finds razor blade in Halloween candy http://www.examiner...ade-halloween-candy [Sunstone, Nov 12 2013] Needle, razor blade found in Halloween candy in Lebanon, TN http://www.wate.com...nside-candy-lebanon [Sunstone, Nov 12 2013] Winchester, KY Trick-or-treater pricked by needle sitting out this Halloween http://www.wkyt.com...ween-229636061.html [Sunstone, Nov 12 2013] Imperial Valley, CA Police Beat: Needle found among child’s Halloween candy http://www.ivpresso...0-0019bb30f31a.htmlEl Centro, CA Needle found among child’s Halloween candy A small diabetic needle in its packaging was discovered in the candy bag of young girl in the 400 block of Orange Avenue at 7 p.m. Friday, according to El Centro police logs. The needle was disposed of at the police station by the child’s mother. [Sunstone, Nov 12 2013] Pot laced Halloween treats http://news.yahoo.c...nted-123837659.htmlTreat or nasty trick? Denver police warn of pot-tainted candy [Sunstone, Oct 18 2014] Portable testing kit detects pot laced candy http://www.thedenve...-of-marijuana-thc__A Colorado company has created a $15 portable kit designed to let you know if pot is in Halloween candy. The new product will successfully screen edibles for THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. "It's a color reaction test and based on the saturation of the color you will know the potency of THC and CBD in the products [Sunstone, Oct 27 2014] NC parents claim they found a razor blade in Halloween candy http://myfox8.com/2...ccording-to-police/MAIDEN, N.C. — Parents in the North Carolina town of Maiden claim to have found a razor blade partially embedded in Halloween candy. [Sunstone, Nov 01 2014] Montgomery County Township Investigated Razor Found in Candy http://www.nbcphila...andy-281181821.htmlTrick-or-treating turned dangerous in one Montgomery County township on Halloween when a razor blade was found in a wrapped candy bar. [Sunstone, Nov 01 2014] John Martinez Finds Razor Blade In Son's Halloween Candy (VIDEO) http://www.huffingt...andy_n_1072804.htmlEveryone's parents warned that sickos tamper with Halloween candy, but now there's indisputable proof that the warnings weren't just based on urban legend. A New Mexico father inspecting his son's trick-or-treat haul found a razor blade embedded in a Reese's peanut butter cup, according to TV station KDAT. The razor was slid sideways into the chocolate-and-peanut butter sweet with a section of the sharp edge protruding. [Sunstone, Nov 01 2014] Mother warns parents to check Halloween candy after finding pin in chocolate bar http://edmonton.ctv...olate-bar-1.2082688An Alberta mother is warning others to check Halloween candy after she found a pin in a piece of chocolate. Victoria Kimberly posted the warning and a photo on her Facebook page advising parents to “open it for your kid and take a bite.” [Sunstone, Nov 01 2014] Police corral sex offenders during trick or treating hours http://fox59.com/20...sex-offender-check/We like to schedule check-in before the trick-or-treat hours start and we hold them here until after the trick-or-treat hours are over,” Deputy Chief of Probation Sandy Bryan said. Police They found a needle and kid-related paraphernalia inside a suitcase that he claimed was dropped off for safe-keeping [Sunstone, Nov 01 2014] My kid got someone's sink stopper in his Halloween candy http://www.reddit.c...r_in_his_halloween/sink stoppers, [see comments:] rocks, jar of dirt mixed with treats [Sunstone, Nov 01 2014] Glass found in some candy given to children in Kaisertown http://www.buffalon...kaisertown-20141031A Kaisertown woman complained to police about pieces of glass in Tootsie Pops her children were given during Beggar’s Night trick or treating activity Thursday evening. Police are trying to pin down the residence involved [Sunstone, Nov 02 2014] Pocket knives found in children's Halloween candy http://www.upi.com/...andy/1951414888050/LAWRENCEBERG, Ky., Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Deputies scanning the bags of trick-or-treaters in Kentucky discovered pocket knives mixed in with candy [Sunstone, Nov 02 2014] Halloween may be "the scariest holiday of the year" for kids and their families. http://www.postandc...s-halloween-weekendChildren with food allergies can have reactions to foods by accidental ingestion or contact," Wash hands, do not use hand sanitizer (it doesn't remove allergens), following contact with unknown foods [Sunstone, Nov 02 2014] Maine dad says he found needle in Halloween candy bar https://bangordaily...ar/?ref=topStories7An Auburn man told the Sun Journal he found a sewing needle placed “expertly” down the center of a Snickers bar in his childrens’ Halloween haul. [Sunstone, Nov 03 2014] Pin found in Halloween candy in Lehigh County, police said http://www.lehighva...loween_candy_i.htmlA teenager reports finding a pin in a candy bar she received while trick-or-treating in Lower Macungie Township, police said [Sunstone, Nov 03 2014] Halloween can be dangerous to both the giver and the receiver http://www.myfoxny....-in-violent-robberyopening her door in Farmingdale on Friday expecting trick-or-treaters, but instead she was confronted by masked robbers, two them armed with guns. The robbers pistol-whipped the husband after he refused an order to sit down. The husband and wife were then bound at the hands and feet with duct tape [Sunstone, Nov 03 2014] Sharp blade found in Halloween Starburst candy in Selkirk, Manitoba shocks father http://www.cbc.ca/n...ks-father-1.2821945The blade is similar to one found in a pencil sharpener, Evans said, adding that he's thankful his daughter did not bite into the candy. [Sunstone, Nov 03 2014] Hercules, CA: Crystal meth found in child's Halloween candy http://www.mercuryn...lds-halloween-candyThe area where the girl was trick-or-treating comprises roughly a quarter square mile. It is unusual for drugs to be slipped into Halloween candy, but it happens from time to time, especially with marijuana, Police Sgt.Tafesse said. [Sunstone, Nov 03 2014] Cole Harbor, Nova Scota:mother warns about pin found in daughter’s Halloween treat http://globalnews.c...ng-in-cole-harbour/On Sunday, Ariane broke apart a piece of Wunderbar and discovered a 2.5-centimetre pin inside. [Sunstone, Nov 03 2014] Manchester, NJ: Shard found in Halloween candy http://www.app.com/...-cops-say/18434833/... after she went trick or treating with her child, she went to go eat a Tootsie Roll when she found it contained a toothpick shard, Capt. Lisa Parker said in a news release. Patrolman Patrick Mabie investigated and was told by the resident that her family mainly trick or treated on 12th, Madison and Birmingham avenues in the Pine Lake section of the township, Parker said. After further inspection, the resident also reported finding another suspicious Tootsie Roll with a punctured wrapper but no toothpick inside [Sunstone, Nov 04 2014] Dqnville, OH; Odd-Smelling Milk Duds Found In Halloween Candy Cause Stir In Danville http://www.10tv.com...ir-in-danville.html"They said 'Pap, we got caps on our teeth, so we can't eat the milk duds, mom said we cant eat 'em'," said Joe Hammons. He gladly gobbled up the four small boxes his grandkids gave him, the only candy he ate from trick-or-treating. "I got deathly sick. I almost went to the emergency room, was sick, puking, it was bad," said Hammons. [Sunstone, Nov 04 2014] Siouxland, NE: Cherokee Family Finds A Needle In Son's Halloween Twixtbar Candy http://www.siouxlan...BtE9DDEm7VUoN3LmJJgLodged inside the tiny Twix was a sewing needle. Small, thin and dangerous. "You could see the hole poked through in the wrapper. After he had opened it and examined it, after we saw the needle was in the candy," Kim and Gerrit said. [Sunstone, Nov 04 2014] Spokane, WA: family finds metal in Halloween candy http://www.khq.com/...-in-halloween-candyBrus says her four children went trick-or-treating in North Spokane. They started off in the 500 block of Empire heading toward the mall taking Standard and then o ...A few days later, when her son and a friend were eating some of their candy, she says his friend bit into a nail. She says the nail poked her son's friend in the cheek but didn't cause any major harm. "They proceeded to open the rest of the candy and found that there was multiple pieces of candy that had metal inside," says Brus. She says it ranged from nails, to staples and even what appeared to be parts of a watch. [Sunstone, Nov 04 2014] Stevenspoint, WI Police investigating needle in Halloween Snickers candy http://www.stevensp...ens-point/18463805/STEVENS POINT – Members of a local family report that they found a 3-inch needle in a candy bar obtained while trick-or-treating in Stevens Point, police say [Sunstone, Nov 04 2014] Freemont, NE Needle in Halloween candy on Grant St. http://fremonttribu...2-428cc27903ce.htmlFremont Police are alerting parents to carefully examine candy collected during Halloween after a sewing needle was found in a candy bar [Sunstone, Nov 04 2014] Peebles, OH .22 bullets founds in Milk Duds Halloween candy handed out at pre-school http://kfor.com/201...in-halloween-candy/A mother in Ohio says she thought it was safe when her son’s preschool handed out little bags of candy to the students. Chrisy Campbell said her 4-year-old son, Landon, opened a box of Milk Duds and asked, “What’s this?” Campbell said she took the box from him and started going through the other Milk Dud boxes in the bag. “I opened up the second box; more bullets. I opened up the third box; more bullets. I opened up the fourth box; more bullets. I’m like, ‘That’s not a coincidence. That’s not a mistake,” Each box contained three bullets, which appear to be from a .22 caliber handgun.candy. Camppbell was furious because the boxes of ammunition came from her son’s preschool. [Sunstone, Nov 04 2014] Holt, MI Reese's Butter Cup contains pin http://www.lansings...een-candy/18499647/"I was checking a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup for my daughter Kaylee," she said. "I gently squeeze those to see if the packaging has been compromised." She found a little found a sharp pin [Sunstone, Nov 05 2014] Winnipeg in North Kildonan: Sewing needle, razor blade found in Halloween candy in two separate incidents http://winnipeg.ctv...incidents-1.2085005Annamarie Born is in shock after finding a sewing needle inserted inside one of her daughter’s chocolate bars she got while trick-or-treating on Halloween in Winnipeg in North Kildonan. “My other daughter bit into it and said something poked here and she spit in on the floor,” said Born. Born said the packaging looked normal but on closer look, you can see a small hole where the needle could have been inserted. Luckily, Borns’ daughter was not hurt. [Sunstone, Nov 05 2014] North Sydney, Canada. Pierce St.: Sewing needle in candy bar http://www.capebret...r-in-North-Sydney/1A family in North Sydney contacted police Monday night after someone bit into a chocolate bar at their home and discovered a sewing-type needle inside. [Sunstone, Nov 05 2014] Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, Lorna Drive, Copernicus Drive and Keer Drive area: Sewing needle in small chocolate bar http://www.cbc.ca/n...ie-police-1.2823714A sewing needle was found inside a small chocolate bar after a child bit into it. [Sunstone, Nov 05 2014] KANSAS CITY, Mo : Snickers bar contains black metal pin http://www.kshb.com...-in-halloween-candyLaticha Robinson's children were snacking on their Halloween stash Saturday night when her oldest daughter broke open a Snickers and found a black metal pin inside [Sunstone, Nov 05 2014] RCMP in Cole Harbour, Halifa, Astral Dr.Canada are investigating two incidents of a pin being found inside Halloween candy http://globalnews.c...in-halloween-candy/HALIFAX – The RCMP has confirmed it is investigating a second case of a pin being found in Halloween treat in the Cole Harbour area. On Monday, a woman from Eastern Passage said her daughter found a pin in a chocolate bar she received while trick-or-treating in Cole Harbour. In both cases, there were no injuries. [Sunstone, Nov 05 2014] Dryden Ontario, Canada police investigate after blade found in Halloween candy http://www.cbc.ca/n...een-candy-1.2824952Dryden police are investigating after a young person discovered a blade in a Tootsie Roll in the neighbourhood of St. Charles Street, Holland Avenue and Arthur Street. [Sunstone, Nov 06 2014] Lake County, FL: Mother finds several razor blades in Milky Way candy bar http://www.clickorl...ween-candy/29572018Police in Lake County are warning parents to go through their children's Halloween candy after a woman claims she found a razor blade in a candy bar. Daughters friends trick or treating in same area received blades in candy. [Sunstone, Nov 06 2014] Sesser, IL Needle found in Snickers bar http://www.wsiltv.c...andy-281984631.htmlSESSER -- Investigators are still searching for clues in a bizarre case. A little girl got quite a scare when she found a sewing needle in a candy bar on Halloween. [Sunstone, Nov 08 2014] Murrieta, CA Local Metal Found Inside Leftover Halloween Candy Bar http://losangeles.c...dy-bar-in-murrieta/According to the Murrieta Police Department, officers impounded a fun sized Milky Way candy bar around 9:36 p.m. on Saturday, after a grandmother reported the discovery of metal poking out of the treat. [Sunstone, Nov 15 2014] Thistledown area of Barrhaven, Ottawa, Canada Child bites into Halloween chocolate bar, discovers sewing needle http://ottawacitize...overs-sewing-needleThe discovery came a day after police announced a “small, sharp needle resembling a sewing needle” was found in a potato bought from an unnamed grocery store in south or east Ottawa [Sunstone, Nov 15 2014] MAIDEN, NC (WBTV) - The Maiden Police Department says a small razor blade was found partially embedded in a small candy bar Friday night http://www.wistv.co...red-halloween-candyParents were checking their children's Halloween candy and found the small metallic blade inside the wrapper of a "Twix Mini" candy bar. [Sunstone, Nov 15 2014] Umatilla, FL: Finding a razor blade in Halloween candy is just an urban legend right? Well, not for one woman in Umatill https://www.faceboo...&total_comments=105A Umatilla woman said she found razor blades in a candy bar given to her child while trick-or-treating. [Sunstone, Nov 15 2014] Snopes: Don't believe anything you read, hear or see on the news http://www.snopes.c...en/taintedcandy.aspSnopes has gathered a list of news stories that are all lies; documented cases of such tampering are rare. Nearly all such cases turn out to be nothing [per who. References please] [Sunstone, Nov 15 2014, last modified Dec 02 2014] LAWRENCE, KS: Mother terrified after needle found in candy ba http://www.kctv5.co...edle-found-in-candyTamara Powell purchased three Reese's Pumpkins from Dillons at 1015 W. 23rd St. about 6 p.m. Sunday. When she opened the candy, she couldn't believe what she found. She promised her son a snack, and by chance, she took the first bite. "Luckily, it didn't stab me in my mouth. I caught it in my teeth," she said [Sunstone, Nov 15 2014] Sargeant Bluff, IA Pin found in candy was at church event, Sergeant Bluff police say http://siouxcityjou...b-21fa90571db6.htmlA photo released by the Police Department shows a sewing pin stuck in a Milky Way bar. the candy was found at a church on Saturday during clean-up following an event. The candy was donated to the church and given out during the event, police said [Sunstone, Nov 15 2014] WALKER, Mich: Worm found in candy from Party City http://woodtv.com/2...dy-from-party-city/Marci Harless went to the Party City on Alpine Avenue in Walker Friday and bought a bag of candy. When she got out to the car, she opened the package and noticed something out of the corner of her eye as she was about to a take a bite [Sunstone, Nov 15 2014] The 7 Most Dangerous Things Kids Found in Halloween Candy This Year http://www.foodbeas...alloween-candy-bag/Nails and staples, bullets, blades, etc. [Sunstone, Nov 15 2014] Pharmacy accidentally gave kids bipolar pills instead of candy http://nypost.com/2...s-instead-of-candy/ [Sunstone, Nov 01 2015] Sewing needles found inside the Halloween candy of MULTIPLE children http://6abc.com/new...ween-candy/1062433/Search Google News for halloween AND candy AND drugs OR blades OR pins OR needles OR nails OR glass OR bullet OR staple OR pill OR "found in candy 178 articles on the topic the day after halloween. Mass murders of children by psychos are now common. The candy provider could be "set up" by a psycho neighbor who places dangerous things in the candy and then "indentifies: the provider."Why such denial by so many on this halloween injury, "set up" or murder method? Imagine ISIS or the like dosing large numbers of kids with otherwise undectable liquid injected or powder sprinkled WMD biological weapons. We live in a dangerous world. Face reality. Don't accept candy from strangers. [Sunstone, Nov 01 2015, last modified Nov 04 2015] Lloydminster RCMP are investigating Five reports of pills being found in children's trick-or-treat bags this Halloween weekend https://encrypted.g...NW6FO5IEWKGmxf0n0cg [Sunstone, Nov 03 2015] Police say Forth case of Halloween candy tampering reported http://www.hawaiine...-in-halloween-candy [Sunstone, Nov 03 2015] Razor blades found in candy in Two locations: Ontario and Alberta http://www.ctvnews....ith-candy-1.2638514 [Sunstone, Nov 03 2015] Two northern Michigan families find razor blades in candy http://www.9and10ne...-in-halloween-candy [Sunstone, Nov 03 2015] Two children in a North Fort Worth neighborhood found staples in their Halloween candy over the weeken http://www.nbcdfw.c...andy-339610762.html [Sunstone, Nov 03 2015] Multiple Parents Find Halloween Candy Laced With Needles http://www.turnto23...-laced-with-needles [Sunstone, Nov 04 2015] A Fort Worth mother says her kids and a neighbor found staples inside three Reese’s Cups after Trick-or-Treating in their Creekwood community http://dfw.cbslocal...in-halloween-candy/A Fort Worth mother says her kids and a neighbor found staples inside three Reese’s Cups after Trick-or-Treating in their Creekwood community [Sunstone, Nov 04 2015] Turns Out The Whole “Check Your Halloween Candy For Needles And Razor Blades” Is Sound Advice In Kennett Sq. http://www.barstool...vice-in-kennett-sq/ [Sunstone, Nov 04 2015] Sick: Bill Maher Encourages Putting Drugs in Halloween Candy http://lonelyconser...in-halloween-candy/There are psychos those that would follow this advice [Sunstone, Nov 04 2015] Dentist passed out candy coated laxative pills. Woman handed out steel wool, dog biscuits, and ant buttons http://www.tony-she...-the-poisoned-mind/ [Sunstone, Nov 04 2015] Halloween sting operation led by Walker County Sheriff nets 221 sex offenders http://www.timesfre...x-offenders/334227/[the sting operation] "It's tied, somewhat, to the activity associated with Halloween," Wilson said. "Because a lot of children are out there. A lot of the sex offenders have been convicted pedophiles [who bait children with candy http://is.gd/Zp8U4Y]." [Sunstone, Nov 05 2015] 2016 and later tainted Halloween candy episodes https://www.google....gws-wiz.-TF2stWg5ugSnopes has changed their mind and now confirms bad stuff is put in candy [Sunstone, Nov 04 2016, last modified Oct 31 2018] DEA warns of drug laced candy https://www.kmov.co...8-23c983d5cf3a.html [Sunstone, Oct 31 2018] I guess the hooligans will come tomorrow night. I made a mad run to the store to purchase what I felt was adequate bribes for this particular holiday & stood feeling cheated as the packages were smaller & more expensive than last year.
I thought they were coming tonight.
(as jutta's link probably shows, I also read on snopes that there have been less than 10 deaths recorded as a result of trick or treatin' & most of those are related to angry relatives. Bloody Hell! & all of those apples I had to throw away! - as a child in the 70's.)-- Zimmy, Oct 31 2005 I'm sure there are things way more dangerous than trick or treating. People should stop terrorizing others for insignificant matters like this one... there isn't danger just EVERYWHERE. Geez...
Plus, this idea is proposing something that takes away the best part of childhood: enjoying the "here and now". I think this coupons would only make kids learn at an early age that accumulating is a good thing. I would say, just give them healthier treats or join our mexican traditions :p-- Pericles, Oct 31 2005 [Pericles], I live in a heavily populated Mexican neighborood. I have only a minimal idea of what the Mexican tradition would be. Could you elaborate? - El Dia de los ... (I can't remember. - is it muertos? Is there no candy, but some other, better way to connect to the rememberance of those who should be?)-- Zimmy, Oct 31 2005 It's called "Día de muertos" and it's really interesting. My favorite mexican celebration. Yes, around here, death is a celebration. See link (first link. Second one is a candy-free alternative to celebrate halloween. Just an idea I had a year ago).-- Pericles, Oct 31 2005 I'd vote against this to say that collecting paper coupons is not as much fun as collecting candy. As your bag gets heavier you develop a sense of accomplishment. And when you get home after walking all 20 blocks of the neighborhood, you are physically exhausted BUT at the same time you can see the bounty of your labor. A heaping pile of candy 2 feet tall is more brings more gratification than a stack of coupons.-- Jscotty, Oct 31 2005 Wendy's Restaurants offers coupons good for a junior frosty dessert at 10/$7.50 ... I took note of this and think it is a good idea generally, in that coupons provide one "more" way to dissuade your local kids from vandalizing.
As for "El Día de Muertos", if I need help decorating the house for Halloween, I'll get advice from the S. Americans -- spooky!-- reensure, Oct 31 2005 You suggest 100 coupons at 10 cents each. That's 10 coupons per cent! I suggest 100 per cent! No, 1000 per cent! I want to see children struggling under grocery bags full of near-worthless coupons, collapsing on the curb, the steps, the middle of the yard, begging for leftovers and bottled water, anything to get them through the night. But seriously, I think one of the fun things about Halloween is that you don't know what you're going to get. Coupons turn it into a mere economic exercise. As for the safety issue, if you don't trust someone, stay away from their house! Parents, who will be accompanying their kids anyway, might limit their peregrinations to the porches of known neighbors. Bone!-- luxlucet, Nov 01 2005 //Too, the kids may prefer things other than candy.// I thought that the US tradition was to misuse the word 'also' at the end of sentences, also.-- gnomethang, Nov 01 2005 Why does Pokemom come to mind? It wouldn't work, the stores would only be able to sell them once a year. Candy can be bought anytime but these coupons? Not to mention that by just going to the store, buying the coupons and then using them again to buy some stuff, and more coupons. Its like "30 Coupons, give me them Twinkies, (70), and another bag of coupons."-- Tangora, Nov 06 2005 <true story>When I gave a sweater to my aunt for xmas, she was suspicious, and took it to the store, wearing gloves, and exchanged it for a "clean one", as she feared that I was putting razors or drugs in the sweater.</not at all a true story>
Halloween is a day to joyfully be in fake fear, not to cower in real fear of the highly improbable.-- sophocles, Nov 07 2005 //People should stop terrorizing others for insignificant matters like this one... there isn't danger just EVERYWHERE. Geez...//
Well, the trouble is that there actually IS danger just everywhere... only the danger is so miniscule and improbable as to be virtually nonexistant.
I mean really, why do they spend all of the falltime warning us not to eat halloween candy, but they don't spend all of the springtime season warning pedestrians not to slip on bananna peels?-- ye_river_xiv, Nov 06 2008 Obviously the giver should have two sets of coupons, one is for regular sweets for ok kids, another set for the sweets from the NMRM Liberia Sweet Packing facility* (next to the graveyard, and behind the hospital), and so have a more terminal option for obnoxious brats...-- not_morrison_rm, Oct 18 2014 There's not much that gets my panties in more of a bunch than messing with kids.I don't know that vouchers are the way to go about it though.
Perhaps not knowing which kids might be trick-or-treating with hidden video in any given neighbourhood would deter the evil one's among us.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Nov 02 2014 //not much that gets my panties in more of a bunch than messing with kids.
You're quoting from Jimmy Savile's diary?-- not_morrison_rm, Nov 04 2014 Not sure what those words mean in you neck of the woods, but 'round here it translates to; People who hurt children piss me off.
I could have happily spent the rest of my life never having heard of Jimmy Savile.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Nov 04 2014 The thing I note about every one of those stories is that it is reported by a single parent or family, with no additional sources coming forward. If someone were trying to harm children in general, there would be multiple cases in a single neighborhood.
Every follow up I'm aware of has shown one of a very limited selection of causes: a personal attack, frequently by a relative, a rare case of factory contamination (a bit of broken machine or similar), or attention or lawsuit seeking actions by the child or parent. Oh, and a couple of cases of accidentally handing out treats from the party (drugs) bowl rather than the candy bowl. I'm not saying that's all cases, but it certainly is the vast majority.-- MechE, Nov 04 2014 I used to depend on Snopes. I no longer trust them. See article links.-- Sunstone, Nov 15 2014 The "dangerous halloween candy" trope is a hoax from start to finish, unworthy of the least bit of attention. That said sometimes I think it would be fun to hand out (nontoxic) poop flavored candies.-- Voice, Nov 16 2014 Computer games and books and movies are better to give out.-- travbm, Nov 02 2015 //"dangerous halloween candy" trope// I strongly suspect that far more homeowners are shot by children displeased with their halloween candy.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 04 2015 spend a few weeks prior to halloween on the 3d printer, making little one-shot plastic guns.-- FlyingToaster, Nov 04 2015 There are many noncandy items one may hand out on Halloween. I remember one year that we handed out onions and garlic. Some rowdy 6th graders came back late at night offering to trade an unopened box of fancy cookies (!) for more garlic. I vividly recall a boy eating an entire head of garlic as though it were an apple. I have not seen that before or since. We applauded.
Other years: Franks Kraut Juice, Atomic FireBalls, Mega Sour Warheads. Cans of beans. Single serving cereal. Ramen, which you can get for 10 cents each and kids love. This year: Vienna sausage.
I think the snack pack of dried fish sold at Asian stores would just wind up on the driveway. The holy grail for me would be single serving packs of that Double Salt licorice because the kids would give it a try. So bad it is out the other side and back to good. No luck shopping on the web - only big bags. Anyone who has run across it please send me a link.-- bungston, Nov 04 2016 Snopes: Poisoned halloween candy (FALSE) Time to debunk that old canard again, I guess... [jutta, flag, delete...
Snopes now has conflicting opinions on the matter: Fact Check Horrors Pins and Needles in Halloween Candy Pins, needles and razor blades been occasionally been found in trick-or-treaters' loot over the years = TRUE.-- Sunstone, Oct 31 2018 Ahh, the prototype "Spring Surprise" is in the testing on the ground phase.-- not_morrison_rm, Oct 31 2018 The solution is simple: drop the whole Halloween thing, or at least trick-or-treat. It has long since ceased to be a quaint folk-tradition and simply become an excuse for little brats to go around demanding more sugar with which to stuff their cheaply-made-up faces. What's more, they typically have back-up in the form of menacing parents hovering in the background. I think some well-concealed chilli would probably be the appropriate level of response.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 31 2018 A couple of badly-concealed Rottweilers would be more effective, though.-- 8th of 7, Oct 31 2018 Rottweilers are so vulgar, though. I mean, they're basically the skinheads of the dog world. Personally, I favour the Bernese Mountain dog. Yes, they look big and fluffy (very, very big), but that just lulls people into a false sense of security.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 31 2018 ... right up to the point where the Bernese effortlessly knocks them to the ground and licks their face.
Like Newfoundlands, Leonbergers, St. Bernards and many other very large breeds, the vast majority are merely enthusiastically affectionate to strangers. A dog that big doesn't need to be agressive when "just being friendly" can cause potential lethal compressive asphyxia with petechial hemorrhaging. To deter unwanted visitors, "vulgar skinheads" are just the thing.-- 8th of 7, Oct 31 2018 I still don't see gastroterrorism as a serious enough threat to warrant countermeasures like this.-- notexactly, Nov 08 2018 You've apparently never eaten at Taco Bell.-- RayfordSteele, Nov 08 2018 About a week ago I had a dental appointment. I walked home afterward, and it was around the time school was over for the day, so there were lots of kids walking home too. A group of boys came walking along the sidewalk toward me, and as we approached each other, one of them said "Hey, do you want a candy?" I said "Sure", thinking this was a bit of a weird situation, and took the candy he offered me. Then we went our separate ways, and I unwrapped the candy and put it in my mouth. It was one of those fruit-flavored hard candies that's wrapped in a square wrapper that's just twisted at the top, not actually sealed. The candy was fine and caused no ill effects to me, not even tooth decay. True story.-- notexactly, Dec 07 2018 random, halfbakery