Years ago, wife and I decided to go to a movie on 10/31. We completely filled a bowl, put a note next to it, and set it up on the enclosed porch entryway.
By the time we got into the car, and before we could even close the car door, the bowl was empty.
[note: this was a community just north of Cambridge MA]
SMH—some kids just don’t have any boundaries.
I actually had better luck with that technique. For several years, when I lived in a quiet suburb of Pittsburgh, I’d fill my plastic scary pumpkin with candy and post a note on the door inviting the kids to take a few pieces each, admonishing them not to “be greedy.”
Every year, there would be a little candy left over at the end of the evening. Once I was actually in the house while this was going on, and chuckled when I heard a parent warn his child “Don’t be greedy.”
A few years ago on a slow Halloween night two kids show up for candy right before 8 pm. They looked familiar so my wife asked them. The older one said no. The younger one said “Jeremy don’t lie. Yes maam we have been here earlier.” My wife motioned the younger one over and tipped the substantially still full bowl onto his sack. Liar got nothing. Then we shut off the outside lights and laughed about the lesson taught.
(We spend quite a bit on Halloween and get the best candies.)