Woman Says She’s Gonna ‘Break The Law’ And Give Candy To Kids On Halloween In A Powerful Post
To paraphrase Joey, you can’t have Halloween without trick-or-treating. That’s like the Fourth of July without apple pie. Or Friday with no two pizzas.
After Kaitlyn Ross, a reporter for NBC affiliate 11Alive in Atlanta, heard that neighborhoods and entire cities started prohibiting kids and teens from going candy hunting on the spookiest night of the year, she set out to inspire change. Kaitlyn said she will be the house handing out the good stuff. To just about everyone who knocks on the door.
More info: Facebook
Image credits: kaitlynross
“The city that banned trick or treating after [for people older than 14] is in Virginia,” Kaitlyn told Bored Panda. “We did a news story on it for 11Alive and it just really bummed me out.
The Halloween advocate said, “They wanted to cut down on vandalism, which I understand, but I … it didn’t seem fair that the kids there don’t get to do it. I think kids should get to stay kids as long as they can, and Halloween is a part of that.”
Kaitlyn had trick-or-treated all through high school herself and it made her sad that kids who live there won’t get to do that. “I always remember the house that gave out the big candy bars,” she said. “It made me smile and every kid in the neighborhood went there first!”
So far, there isn’t a similar restriction in Kaitlyn’s home city of Atlanta. “Kids and adults of all ages are welcome to trick or treat here, but it will be pouring rain tonight, so we will have to see how many actually brave the elements.”
However, judging by the reactions her post has received, it definitely seems that it’s going to be quite the occasion. “A lot of people told me they always hand out the big ones, and there are a lot of creative people who hand out stickers or crafts. I just love that people are sharing their joy with me! But mostly, people are asking for our address!”
Many joined Kaitlyn saying they’re also preparing for the big night
Here’s what other folks said about the situation
I give candy to anyone who comes to my house in costume, 6 or 60.
Halloween isn't anywhere near as big as it is in the US so I am never prepared and tonight we had a couple of trick or treaters so they were offered a snack pack of oreo's each.
When I was a kid I didn't understand why teens trick or treated, it bothered me. But now years later... now that most of MY kids are teens, I get it. I WANT them to trick or treat as long as possible. Give me that little bit of time left to enjoy their "childhood" So let all the parents out there enjoy the last few years left they have.
People are unable to decide for themselves who they give candy to, so there has to be a law to determine it for them? Silly people. If you don't want to give older kids candy, don't. Other people will. No need to criminalize it.
Never have a Trick o Treater , but Halloween has only been celebrated in Sweden for a few decades and is still not rooted. But we have cute witches with brooms, of all genders who give home made cards for easter and get candy in the coffepots.
I last trick or treated when I was 14/15 it was so much fun :) It makes me sad that the joy of Halloween gets taken away as you get older and it's another day/night
What the... what business is it of the government's who goes trick-or-treating? I don't care how old a person is, if they put the time and effort into a costume and they're behaving themselves, they're welcome to the candy I'm handing out. Rather them be trick-or-treating than for them to be bag snatching and bullying kids.
Thank you to this post!!!! My family never really celebrated Halloween when I was little and I never went actual trick or treating until last year. I'm just making up for some fun I missed out on, not being weird by trick or treating as a teen.
In my neighbourhood houses that participate in Halloween and trick and treating have a sign. So it's easy for the kids: if there's no sign you don't go trick or treating at that house. The kids also know that only children that are dressed up get treats and they have to stop at 9.00 PM. Simple rules to keep Halloween a fun evening for everyone.
That's absolutely brilliant. It keeps everybody happy. I always wondered what happens with people who don't want to take part, for whatever reason. I suffered depression for years, and it would have been torture for me to have to deal with all these strangers knocking on my door.
Load More Replies...We used to drive to a particular neighborhood to go trick or treating with my kids not because it was a nicer neighborhood with good candy (it was) but because it had lots of houses lit up participating and they had nice sidewalks and it felt safe because a ton of other families were there, but some of the other people in that neighborhood got tired of kids from the poorer side of town coming over so as a neighborhood this community decided they would do their trick or treating on a different day, and every year they move it to a different day, sometimes the day before Halloween sometime the Saturday before Halloween and only the houses in the neighborhood know when it is.
Actually that's probably smartest, my dads neighborhood has that happen so him and his wife have to stop giving out candy after like an hour because they run out of candy from the large volume of trick treaters. I know he was frustrated one year because they started handing out candy at like 6 pm and he said by 7 he had to turn their lights out and hunker down which was hard at such an early hour and despite this they still had a few more door bell rings! He said they just can't afford to buy hundreds of dollars of candy. Can't blame em
Load More Replies...Last year I had over 50 kids come to my door. Sadly, this year there were only 12! I prepped for at least 60 kids. I live in a city of a million plus, and all these lackadaisical parents take their kids to the mall! Like, what the hell? When I was a kids my parents used to bundle us up in snowsuits & put our costumes over top & we'd be out in -10 to -20 degree (celcius) weather for a couple of hours at least! What is happening to tradition these days?!
"Trick or--" "Can I see your ID?" "I'm 12, I'm just tall for my age!" "Hmm... Okay. Your ID checks out. What about your three-foot-tall friend -- you sure she isn't picking up candy for her 15-year-old brother?"
"...OK, I'm calling the cops!" Nice trick. Why is 'trick or treat'ing so skewed towards the treats?
Load More Replies...We dont get many around here but I have prepared some small candybags just in case the neighboring kids comes around.
i don't care if they don't dress up there just people they can do whatever
I dressed up in my usual witch costume and got two kids at my door, well three because one group had two children. It was great :D
My Grandma used to live close to a college. Every year there were at least a few college kids who would trick or treat. Before ringing the bell, they would go down on their knees to be "shorter" and then try to talk like little kids. My Grandma thought it was very funny and never got tired of it. She looked forward to it every year.
That is so bizarre to make that a law. Like WTF is going on in America? I'll give candy to anyone who shows up to my door. I absolutely adore halloween and the fun spirit of the event cannot get enough of it :)
What a stupid and pointless law. Waste of time and who will enforce anyway?? I love Halloween and we trick or treated in high school. Bleh to stupid laws yay to Halloween enthusiasts.
I always tell the older teens out on their own, to come back just before 9 pm, and I will give them what I have, all of it! And the few that do, are pleased! And we always have the good candy, so they are not cheated! Their costumes are truly amazingly creative!
Of all of the things older kids COULD be doing, I'd think the city would be most okay with them trick or treating. It's harmless. I'm sure this ordinance was well intentioned, but they need to rethink this one.
How about instead of a law that restricts people (in this case teenagers) from doing something that hurts no one (trick-or-treating), how about instead we simply try to discourage and/or control those who are actually doing something wrong? Why punish everyone for the actions of a few? Why do we need more and more and more laws, controls and regulations on everything? Legislation is not the answer to every problem!
What kind of turd would even contemplate outlawing trick-or treating for people past 14? OK, if you trick-or-treat once you're in college, that's excessive - but I have never objected to kids ToT-ing through high school. My brother did, and so did I. Some laws need to be dumped in the toilet.
I'll hand out candy to grandmas if they put the effort in to make a costume. Fun has no age limit.
Load More Replies...Why did they do that??? I really wished I could've experience Trick or Treats during the Halloween. In my country we don't really celebrate Halloween.
Do it, grrrrrrl. Atlanta seems like they have bigger problems than this to focus on. It seems like they don't want any teenagers out and about, which is not going to happen. Halloween is a great Holiday that is exciting as kid, and a blast in a much different way as you get older.
Right on. People are forgetting how loose and ok it was for them when they were kids.
Halloween must be the most plastic-producing day of the year. I know that you guys in the US do things differently than the rest of the world, but maybe this might be a good time to rethink what you hand out for Halloween.
Oh please stfu. The planet will be fine looooong after were all dead
Load More Replies...Who made that rule? When did it become the norm to exclude teens? Why? Do teems stop liking candy when they hit 13? When people started the whole trick or treating tradition did they specify that teens were not allowed to do it? Was this a rule from the get go?
Load More Replies...So you ban all of them? By keeping them from actually celebrating the holiday you encourage bored kids to pester old curmudgeons.
Load More Replies...You've never ever jaywalked? What if a law is unjust?
Load More Replies...I give candy to anyone who comes to my house in costume, 6 or 60.
Halloween isn't anywhere near as big as it is in the US so I am never prepared and tonight we had a couple of trick or treaters so they were offered a snack pack of oreo's each.
When I was a kid I didn't understand why teens trick or treated, it bothered me. But now years later... now that most of MY kids are teens, I get it. I WANT them to trick or treat as long as possible. Give me that little bit of time left to enjoy their "childhood" So let all the parents out there enjoy the last few years left they have.
People are unable to decide for themselves who they give candy to, so there has to be a law to determine it for them? Silly people. If you don't want to give older kids candy, don't. Other people will. No need to criminalize it.
Never have a Trick o Treater , but Halloween has only been celebrated in Sweden for a few decades and is still not rooted. But we have cute witches with brooms, of all genders who give home made cards for easter and get candy in the coffepots.
I last trick or treated when I was 14/15 it was so much fun :) It makes me sad that the joy of Halloween gets taken away as you get older and it's another day/night
What the... what business is it of the government's who goes trick-or-treating? I don't care how old a person is, if they put the time and effort into a costume and they're behaving themselves, they're welcome to the candy I'm handing out. Rather them be trick-or-treating than for them to be bag snatching and bullying kids.
Thank you to this post!!!! My family never really celebrated Halloween when I was little and I never went actual trick or treating until last year. I'm just making up for some fun I missed out on, not being weird by trick or treating as a teen.
In my neighbourhood houses that participate in Halloween and trick and treating have a sign. So it's easy for the kids: if there's no sign you don't go trick or treating at that house. The kids also know that only children that are dressed up get treats and they have to stop at 9.00 PM. Simple rules to keep Halloween a fun evening for everyone.
That's absolutely brilliant. It keeps everybody happy. I always wondered what happens with people who don't want to take part, for whatever reason. I suffered depression for years, and it would have been torture for me to have to deal with all these strangers knocking on my door.
Load More Replies...We used to drive to a particular neighborhood to go trick or treating with my kids not because it was a nicer neighborhood with good candy (it was) but because it had lots of houses lit up participating and they had nice sidewalks and it felt safe because a ton of other families were there, but some of the other people in that neighborhood got tired of kids from the poorer side of town coming over so as a neighborhood this community decided they would do their trick or treating on a different day, and every year they move it to a different day, sometimes the day before Halloween sometime the Saturday before Halloween and only the houses in the neighborhood know when it is.
Actually that's probably smartest, my dads neighborhood has that happen so him and his wife have to stop giving out candy after like an hour because they run out of candy from the large volume of trick treaters. I know he was frustrated one year because they started handing out candy at like 6 pm and he said by 7 he had to turn their lights out and hunker down which was hard at such an early hour and despite this they still had a few more door bell rings! He said they just can't afford to buy hundreds of dollars of candy. Can't blame em
Load More Replies...Last year I had over 50 kids come to my door. Sadly, this year there were only 12! I prepped for at least 60 kids. I live in a city of a million plus, and all these lackadaisical parents take their kids to the mall! Like, what the hell? When I was a kids my parents used to bundle us up in snowsuits & put our costumes over top & we'd be out in -10 to -20 degree (celcius) weather for a couple of hours at least! What is happening to tradition these days?!
"Trick or--" "Can I see your ID?" "I'm 12, I'm just tall for my age!" "Hmm... Okay. Your ID checks out. What about your three-foot-tall friend -- you sure she isn't picking up candy for her 15-year-old brother?"
"...OK, I'm calling the cops!" Nice trick. Why is 'trick or treat'ing so skewed towards the treats?
Load More Replies...We dont get many around here but I have prepared some small candybags just in case the neighboring kids comes around.
i don't care if they don't dress up there just people they can do whatever
I dressed up in my usual witch costume and got two kids at my door, well three because one group had two children. It was great :D
My Grandma used to live close to a college. Every year there were at least a few college kids who would trick or treat. Before ringing the bell, they would go down on their knees to be "shorter" and then try to talk like little kids. My Grandma thought it was very funny and never got tired of it. She looked forward to it every year.
That is so bizarre to make that a law. Like WTF is going on in America? I'll give candy to anyone who shows up to my door. I absolutely adore halloween and the fun spirit of the event cannot get enough of it :)
What a stupid and pointless law. Waste of time and who will enforce anyway?? I love Halloween and we trick or treated in high school. Bleh to stupid laws yay to Halloween enthusiasts.
I always tell the older teens out on their own, to come back just before 9 pm, and I will give them what I have, all of it! And the few that do, are pleased! And we always have the good candy, so they are not cheated! Their costumes are truly amazingly creative!
Of all of the things older kids COULD be doing, I'd think the city would be most okay with them trick or treating. It's harmless. I'm sure this ordinance was well intentioned, but they need to rethink this one.
How about instead of a law that restricts people (in this case teenagers) from doing something that hurts no one (trick-or-treating), how about instead we simply try to discourage and/or control those who are actually doing something wrong? Why punish everyone for the actions of a few? Why do we need more and more and more laws, controls and regulations on everything? Legislation is not the answer to every problem!
What kind of turd would even contemplate outlawing trick-or treating for people past 14? OK, if you trick-or-treat once you're in college, that's excessive - but I have never objected to kids ToT-ing through high school. My brother did, and so did I. Some laws need to be dumped in the toilet.
I'll hand out candy to grandmas if they put the effort in to make a costume. Fun has no age limit.
Load More Replies...Why did they do that??? I really wished I could've experience Trick or Treats during the Halloween. In my country we don't really celebrate Halloween.
Do it, grrrrrrl. Atlanta seems like they have bigger problems than this to focus on. It seems like they don't want any teenagers out and about, which is not going to happen. Halloween is a great Holiday that is exciting as kid, and a blast in a much different way as you get older.
Right on. People are forgetting how loose and ok it was for them when they were kids.
Halloween must be the most plastic-producing day of the year. I know that you guys in the US do things differently than the rest of the world, but maybe this might be a good time to rethink what you hand out for Halloween.
Oh please stfu. The planet will be fine looooong after were all dead
Load More Replies...Who made that rule? When did it become the norm to exclude teens? Why? Do teems stop liking candy when they hit 13? When people started the whole trick or treating tradition did they specify that teens were not allowed to do it? Was this a rule from the get go?
Load More Replies...So you ban all of them? By keeping them from actually celebrating the holiday you encourage bored kids to pester old curmudgeons.
Load More Replies...You've never ever jaywalked? What if a law is unjust?
Load More Replies...
191
87