Thursday, October 28, 2010

How Do You Compete With That?

Many of you are aware of the annual July 4th "water war" on our street. It should come as no surprise that Halloween is a pretty big event here also.  It's not that there are a ton of decorated houses, but everybody is in their driveways or in their garages, giving out candy and having small parties.

We get between 150 and 200 kids each Halloween. A couple of years ago, we had well over 200. Every year there is at least one kid, or parent who reminds us that "the lady who used to live in your house gave us hot donuts instead of candy!"

That's right! She cooked and gave out fresh hot glazed donuts as treats! How in the heck is a person supposed to compete with that? We don't even try, I just give them their single m&m and tell them to move along...bah!



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54 comments:

  1. You know what's funny - I thought about baking cupcakes and handing them out but then I thought "No way. I would have so many angry parents at my house demanding to know what I put in the cupcakes."
    Everyone on your street must know one another pretty well, because I just don't think that would fly in my neighborhood.

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  2. Considering the dangers in this day and age, why would anyone want baked goods?

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  3. Hot Donuts! You are right, there is no topping that! I remember a woman in our neighbourhood, who gave out hand-made chocolate lollypops every year. And they were huge too, almost the size of my face! Maybe I should take my neices there and see if she still hands them out.- G

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  4. Ha ha! A single m&m!! :). I've never had more than 5-10 trick or treaters, but the ones I do get have started refusing sweets & chocolate, asking for money instead!! The cheek!

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  5. You give M&M's? I'm coming to your house....

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  6. Oh, I would love a hot donut right about now...

    CD

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  7. Holidays CAN get overwhelming. Best not to try to "keep up." I do what you do: pass out the m&m thing!! But my daughter and I now live in a place where there are no trick or treaters. It's okay....!!)
    Ann

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  8. You should tell the ingrates they're more than welcome to your boot if they don't like the candy.

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  9. Our neighborhood used to be like that. When we moved here 20 years ago we'd get hundreds of trick or treaters. I think it was because the guy across the street gave KING SIZE candy bars (He worked somewhere and always had boxes laying around.) But he moved away, the kids all grew up-- ours and the ones who knew about those big candy bars-- and now we only get a few dozen. Guess what? This year I'm not even going to be home. We're empty nesters now, so we don't have to do Halloween Ha!

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  10. I do envy you my Friend, we used to get that many at our house too, it was always a blast having the kids drop by and dressing up for them.

    We were all excited the first year we lived here but living out in the country has shown us that trick or treaters don't come to our neck of the woods no matter how ready you get for them.

    Love the Jack o Lanterns Pat and don't worry about making donuts an M&M will get em by till the next house.

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  11. I've been known to dish out apples when the sweeties run out...not very popular, but good for them at least!
    Halloween is not so big over here yet, but it's getting there...

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  12. Hey, great header photo! Also, I really liked your comment about scuba vs. snorkeling. People are always telling me to get with it, get the gear and go deeper. What I really like is floating around with those colorful fish (and the turtles) and not worrying about the pressure on my ears :) Thanks for the support.

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  13. Did you know it's possible to cut a single M&M into fours with a very sharp knife....bwahahaha

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  14. ha ha...single M and M.
    I love that!

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  15. Your house used to be a Dunkin' Donuts? Cool.
    Great pics, Pat.
    xo

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  16. Give the complainers a pencil. That'll teach 'em.

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  17. I have to move to your block. It sounds like you live in HappyVille USA. Which (knowing your past) is a well-deserved thing for you. But hey, I can still be jealous. FYI...give 'em $100 bills. That'll kick the crap out of the hot dough.

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  18. fresh hot donuts? where did she move to, I'm comming

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  19. Hot donuts, those were the days! Cool pics!

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  20. Cake Betch - You are right. I'm not sure it's such a great thing when the entire neighborhood all know each other. Like Rober Frost said, "Good fences make good neighbors!"

    Alex - The "lady" who gave them out was pretty much known by EVERYONE in the area. I agree with you! I'f my kid came homme with something baked, I'd make them throw it out (or I'd eat it)...

    Georgina - Some folks sure do go to a lot of work!

    DiamondsOnMySoles - Only 5 to 10, you could give them each a couple! LOL...

    Lynne - We always "intend" to give out other things also, but we usually eat the stuff we like before halloween... I'll hang onto a bag for you!

    CD - Ditto for me!

    Ann - I totally agree with you! Even if we go zero kids at the door, I'd still like the season..

    Rabbbit - I was thinking of cutting them in half! You know, with the bad economy and all...

    Nancy - Oh yeah! The first year we gave out full sized candy bars and still heard about it!

    Tim - And then when the police came, I'd think they were local teens in costume...

    Keren - We are "empty nesters" also, but our kids bring over their kids and use our place as their base of trick or treat operations...

    Jimmy - I think it's a lot of fun also. We'll have our little party in the garage while it's all going on. Thanks Jimmy!

    Nat - I remember getting them also. I'd always throw them away so I wasn't forced to eat them! We had a guy in our neighborhood when I was a kid who gave out change every year. Looking back, I think he was a pervert...

    tapirgal - thanks Sheryl! I agree about the rest of the comment also. Everything you really want to see is in the first 5 to 20 feet around the reef, so why go deeper?

    Vickie - HEY Vickie! Nice to see you out and about! thanks for the tip! After I read it, I thought about using a pill cutter! If I can get them small enough, I may only need a few small bags!

    Joe - Yeah, I don't want to seem too cheap, so I give 'em a whole one. but that may change...

    Robyn - It sounds like it was more like a KrispyKreme! fresh donuts when the light is on...

    Random Thinker - Yeah! Or maybe those pens I steal from the doctor's office...

    Jesse - Come on down! I think I could win them over with that. Or course, I'd be broke afterwards...

    Glenn - I'm sure that would work! I have the perfect large pebbles in mind... thanks for the idea!

    baygirl - Out of state! too bad...

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  21. marguerite - Those were the days!
    I thought they'd never end...

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  22. You must live in a nice neighborhood! Don't be sad, not all kids would go for a hot doughnut:)

    Browsed some other pages of your blog -where do you find the time??

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  23. "yeah, and I used to feel like people appreciated free sugary stuff!" - My neighbor hood has about 10 kids including my own so Halloween is not very big round here.

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  24. He he he... sounds like it sucks to be a kid, nowadays... with people like you and me giving out the treats. We had it good!

    Nevine

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  25. jeannette - It's pretty nice, but mostly, we like where the neighborhood is at. To answer your question... I'm lucky enough not to work, so I have quite a bit of time. Also, at one time I had 3 blogs, now that was busy. I had my regular one, a photography one, and a horror one. Not that they are combined, it's not so bad.

    Jhon - oh yeah, only about half of them say thanks...when they do, I like it...

    Nevine - that's funny Nevine! They only have the internet, cell phones, xbox, and help them deal with the pain....

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  26. A single M&M! HA HA HA!!!

    I'd love to trade places with you just one halloween.

    I've lived here for almost six years, and in six years, do you know how many trick or treaters we've had?

    NADA. ZILCH. ZIPPO. ZERO. NONE.

    I think you get the picture.

    I don't get it. We live in a development. I guess because we live at the far end where there is just one row of homes (compared to the 200 or so at the other end), they just don't think it's worth it! Oh well. More candy for me! HA HA HA. (I still buy it every year "just in case").

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  27. These are rather charming...

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  28. Note to self, when time machine is finished, visit this house for halloweens past.

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  29. Wow that's a lot of trick or treaters! I can't remember ever seeing that many. Although my brother does pretty good business in Bungalow Heaven...

    This is our first Halloween here so I have absolutely no idea what's going to happen. I suppose I should probably ask my neighbors - I don't want to be caught short!

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  30. i would so go trick-or-treating, even at 28, if i thought i could get fresh glazed donuts.

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  31. Happy Halloween, Pat... Gee--it would be hard to compete with the lady who gave our the donuts... Yipes!!!!!!!

    We live in a retirement community now --so there are no kids around... I don't even buy any candy anymore.... That's really kinda sad, isn't it????

    Have a great weekend.
    Betsy

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  32. Marlene - I think the main reason we get so many kids is that we live on the ridge of pretty good sized hill. My street is the only one with houses on both sides. EVERY other street going down the hill has houses on just one side and are very steep. More houses per distance traveled...

    Budd - I'm with you! they were in the restaurant business, so she probably brought a heavy duty fryer home...
    Thanks for commenting and signing on. I appreciate it. I also like your blog a lot! I was looking at your personal blog for a few minutes tonight. I'll go back to it later. thanks again!

    Megan - yeah, you don't want to have to turn out the lights and pretend you're not home!

    Vencora - I with you! I'd even adjust my costume to look different and then go back again...

    Betsy - Thanks Betsy! Same to you.
    Kinda sad, but kinda quiet also...that's not sad!

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  33. No way to compete with that! A single M&M? And here I've been giving away mini-bags.

    We live in one of the few neighborhoods in town that never gets mentioned in the crime reports in the newspaper. We usually get about a hundred kids and almost all are accompanied by their parents. It makes for a fun night.

    Love your new header photo.

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  34. Fantastic festival of Halloween. Here in Spain is not held, the Catholic Church took care of it since the time of the Inquisition.

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  35. That scared the bejeebers out of me, Pat.
    Have a Happy one(<:

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  36. Great lighting and angles!
    Happy Halloween

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  37. SQ - Just joking about the single M&M. Our area is pretty safe also. I hope I don't see too many Justin Biebers out that night...

    Leovi - I understand what you mean! Thank...

    Pam - Thank you! That means I am doing my job!

    Blue Wave - Thanks so much! If you don't mind shooting in the dark, it can be a lot of fun...

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  38. Hahhaaa...They should be grateful for the one m&m...I don't even pass candy out;)
    (I hide;))

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  39. If we get 10 kids at our door, we're amazed. We have a long driveway and those on candy quest usually pass up by. The rule of thumb in this neck of the woods is, if it doesn't come in an original, unopened wrapper, do not accept it. Gone are the days of peanuts in the shell, or apples, or homemade treats. Even individual caramels are suspect!

    So what are you "going to be" for Halloween, Pat? I have the big black hat with a large purple feather, funky peasant dress, wild makeup and a glass of red wine. Should win awards for best stay-at-home costume. :)
    Have a great weekend. Rosemary

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  40. If we get 10 kids at our door, we're amazed. We have a long driveway and those on candy quest usually pass up by. The rule of thumb in this neck of the woods is, if it doesn't come in an original, unopened wrapper, do not accept it. Gone are the days of peanuts in the shell, or apples, or homemade treats. Even individual caramels are suspect!

    So what are you "going to be" for Halloween, Pat? I have the big black hat with a large purple feather, funky peasant dress, wild makeup and a glass of red wine. Should win awards for best stay-at-home costume. :)
    Have a great weekend. Rosemary

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  41. HOly smokes!! I wanna go to this house!!
    :)

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  42. Dawn - One thing that really helps out here is that the weather is always good this time of year. Watch it rain now...

    Rosemary - What am I going to be on halloween? Maybe a little intoxicated... The FBI collects info on all police reports in the country. did you know that complaints about tainted halloween candy and things almost don't even exist, they are so rare. Many cities have NEVER had any complaints. I was amazed when I saw that on TV. Have a great weekend!

    Penny - No kidding, someday they'll all realize that there will be no more donuts from our house!

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  43. Some shoes are just too big to fill. Cool photos.

    You had a blog JUST on horror? Do I want to know you? :-D

    And butting in on your conversation with my pal, years ago, my hubby and I went scuba diving - it IS fantastic here in the Philippines - but he tired of the work involved and now we're just as happy snorkeling in Mother Nature's fish bowl. You both should come over...

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  44. Francisca - Too big to fill, so I don't even try.

    I did have a horror blog. I really liked it, but it took too much time. don't worry, I'm only half twisted!

    About the Philippines, I've been there! Of course it was in 1969 and I didn't see much besides the inside of the many bars in Olongapo City. I was soooo stupid back then...

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  45. Hahaha you're killing me with this post Pat! Poor you. But it seems like a lot of fun to live in your street! I hope I'll live in a street like yours when I will have kids. x

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  46. Biana - It's a hard act to follow, but we still have fun! It is a good street for kids.

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  47. One single m&m? That's terrible unless you are talking about the lifesize talking ones from the commercial then that is awesome.

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  48. No way can anyone compete with hot glazed donuts! That's awesome!

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  49. Icy BC - I totally agree. I don't eat them very often, but when they are hot...YUM!

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  50. That is a great carved pumpkin. I especially like the eyes. Nicely, captured in the first shot.

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  51. AB - It does have a nice expression. Thanks!

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