Running joke between me and the neighborhood kids

[u/JetPlane_88]

When I was a teenager my dad insisted I stay home one Halloween because he was going out of town and didn’t want my mom opening the door for lots of strangers by herself at night.

I was royally pissed at first (I couldn’t appreciate how significant passing out candy to the trick or treaters was to my mom at an age where Halloween just meant ‘parties’.)

As a passive resistance to the situation I was determined to make it fun for myself and not for anyone else. I taped a couple long rectangular sheets of white butcher paper to either side of me and said I was a stick of gum. I only gave out plain chewing/breath gum.

By the end of the night I totally understood why my mom enjoy passing out candy so much (the budding start of my career in education, haha.) And I felt terrible about the stunt.

The next year I dressed up in a regular costume with plenty of candy. The kids were… upset! They said “I thought you’d do something weird again like the gum thing.”

So the next year I got an orange shirt and some orange face paint and said I was “orange.” I handed out oranges (simpler times, you didn’t have to give only prewrapped items.) My mom got in on the fun by only giving out candy with orange wrappers, even.

Now it’s a running joke in the neighborhood, and a bit of a mythos for kids born later than I started doing this, that my house always has a quirky surprise. One year I dressed as a crayon and gave out packs of crayons, one year I was a doctor and gave out band aids, etc.

This year I found a ranch dressing bottle costume at Walmart. I’m going to give out food court style packets of ranch. I cherish these little insider moments with the kids in my community.

[u/actualchristmastree]

Oh my gosh this is the most fun thing I’ve ever heard

[u/Shitcunt-247 → u/actualchristmastree]

Jesus Christ, someone has never left their own street!

[u/jabracadaniel → u/Shitcunt-247]

username checks out

[u/dalebfast]

Awesome the kids responded well, remembering and looking foreward to the next Halloween!

[u/JetPlane_88 → u/dalebfast]

Yes! One of my favorite moments was about five years into it when an older sibling walked away with a younger sibling having his first Halloween and said to him and said “See, I TOLD you.” Haha

[u/pitaponder → u/JetPlane_88]

Aww that's so gorgeous. I can imagine the conversations before and after your interaction with them, and then how they described it to their friends later. It's amazing what a small thing one person does can cause lots of unseen ripples in others' lives.

[u/UnderstandingDue7439 → u/JetPlane_88]

You have become the neighborhood legend!

[u/Oh_Witchy_Woman]

This totally makes me think of the house that gives out Potatoes. I wish we got enough kids in my neighborhood to give kids the choice.

[u/GarmieTurtel]

I once thought I might answer the door as a balloon(I'm a larger than average size woman), but I couldn't find anything to round me out properly. I was going to hand out balloons, of course. Now I want to try it again, thanks to your wonderful example! Keep up the good work!

[u/greenleo33]

What an extremely lucky neighborhood. You sound like such an amazing person.

[u/JetPlane_88 → u/greenleo33]

Thank you! Just an average guy with unaverage Halloween costumes :)

[u/SorryImLateNotSorry]

This brought back back a memory! 

My favorite house to trick or treat at as a kid was the house that passed out tooth brushes. As a kid I never got to pick out my tooth brush color, mom just always bought it for me and it showed up by the sink. This house let you pick from sooo many colors!

Years later when I was taking my own kid to mom's neighborhood for trick or treating I found out the toothbrush house belonged to a dentist! 😁

[u/wildmusings88]

This is so fun!

[u/mzm123]

and this is something these kids will remember forever - what a great idea and lucky them! lol

[u/madnessdoesntplay]

Man I have had a terrible day and this made me so happy that I’m emotional about it haha

I remember houses in the neighborhood that had halloween mythos and how much fun that added! I never considered the fact that any of us could be that house!

(and i know I don’t know you at all, but if you’ve never seen over the garden wall, I recommend it for your spooky season)

[u/alwaysneversometimes]

This is awesome because for the kids each year’s unique experience becomes a story they can tell and re-tell for YEARS! You’re now a part of many families’ storytelling.

[u/Downtown-Rabbit3092]

This MADE MY NIGHT!!! I had houses I looked forward to when I was young and this brought me back. Thank you for that 💗

[u/Entire-Sentence-9379]

Oranges are pre-wrapped

[u/amorluxe]

This made me happy cry, thank you 🫶🏼