What are you passing out to the tots this year? (2012)

scareme · #1 03-20-2012

Last year I gave out the easter eggs decorated to look like sugar skulls, and the light up marracas. They were a BIG hit. The neighbors talked about them for weeks. And I even had a girl come up to my house about a month ago and asked if I had any left. So I guess this year people will be expecting a lot.

I don't know if it will top last year's, but I just got 700 of these from OTC last week. They are suppose to look like stop watches, but they are really just lights. I like hitting the "oops sales" from OTC, because with getting 700 tots I have to watch the money. These came out to 20 cent a piece, so I can still afford to throw in a candy bar and sucker, and keep it in my 50 cent per child range.

http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/br...egoryId=389891

remylass · #2 03-20-2012

Good idea to look now. I haven't even thought that far. At the after-Halloween sales last year, I picked up bags of different bugs to give out. I gave out glow bracelets the year before, but I couldn't crack them and give them out fast enough.

RoxyBlue · #3 03-20-2012

We've been handing out the glow bracelets for a couple years now. They're dirt cheap (I think we get 15 for $1.00), everyone likes them, and they're perfect for getting a pretty accurate count on the number of ToTs we get. You do have to prep them a bit ahead of time, because as remylass noted, once the kids start showing up, you can't keep up.

We also hand out the mini or fun size candy bars.

The Halloween Lady · #4 03-20-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by scareme

Last year I gave out the easter eggs decorated to look like sugar skulls, and the light up marracas. They were a BIG hit. The neighbors talked about them for weeks. And I even had a girl come up to my house about a month ago and asked if I had any left. So I guess this year people will be expecting a lot.

I don't know if it will top last year's, but I just got 700 of these from OTC last week. They are suppose to look like stop watches, but they are really just lights. I like hitting the "oops sales" from OTC, because with getting 700 tots I have to watch the money. These came out to 20 cent a piece, so I can still afford to throw in a candy bar and sucker, and keep it in my 50 cent per child range.

http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/br...egoryId=389891

OMG.... 700 TOTs?!?!?! WOW thats amazing. I a super jealous!

Da Weiner · #5 03-20-2012

I give out the glow bracelets and mini candy bars. I would also like to give out the big candy bars again this year. Last year I couldn't do that.

I recently bought a Pumpkin Piggy bank from the Monster Mania Convention this year and I am going to leave him in charge of the finances. His name is Bacon and he's the official Halloween Treasurer. I sat down with him and mapped out a plan of what would be needed for the upcoming Halloween festivities. As long as I keep up my end of the agreement and make the weekly deposits of change to him, he will monitor the situation. With his help, I think I can accomplish this.

scareme · #6 03-20-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Halloween Lady

OMG.... 700 TOTs?!?!?! WOW thats amazing. I a super jealous!

Yeah, that's why I try to keep it to .50 per tot. Even at that It comes out to $350 for that one night of the year. But I think it's worth it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Da Weiner

I give out the glow bracelets and mini candy bars. I would also like to give out the big candy bars again this year. Last year I couldn't do that.

I recently bought a Pumpkin Piggy bank from the Monster Mania Convention this year and I am going to leave him in charge of the finances. His name is Bacon and he's the official Halloween Treasurer. I sat down with him and mapped out a plan of what would be needed for the upcoming Halloween festivities. As long as I keep up my end of the agreement and make the weekly deposits of change to him, he will monitor the situation. With his help, I think I can accomplish this.

That's a great idea! I'm getting a bank this week and throwing change in. I'll have to hide the quarters. The kids like to take those for washing the car, theirs, not ours. lol

The tots really seem to like light up things. I like that it makes them eaiser to see at night.

remylass · #7 03-20-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by scareme

That's a great idea! I'm getting a bank this week and throwing change in. I'll have to hide the quarters. The kids like to take those for washing the car, theirs, not ours. lol

The tots really seem to like light up things. I like that it makes them eaiser to see at night.

We don't spend any change that we can help during the year. Even if a total is $10.03, I give the poor cashier $11. Last Halloween season when we cashed it in, it was $299.75. Not bad for our half hearted effort. It would be more if we used our debit cards less.

Back to the topic at hand, light up things are a good idea. I try to also stick around 50 cents a kid. This is why they end up with bugs and such. The glow bracelets were a huge hit. I got them at Michaels in the dollar bin. They were very cost effective, but just such a pain.

kprimm · #8 03-20-2012

We will be giving out candy bars, suckers, and potato chips. I have thought of having a few special items to randomly give out during the night, just to add a nice little Halloween memory to some tots.

scareme · #9 03-21-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by kprimm

We will be giving out candy bars, suckers, and potato chips. I have thought of having a few special items to randomly give out during the night, just to add a nice little Halloween memory to some tots.

Chips are a good idea kprimm, as not all kids can have candy bars. My great nephew is allergic to chocolate. Poor kid. Last year my niece took him, age 6, and his sister, age 4 out toting. Niece,Angie, said at the first couple of houses, Gavin told the people he was allergic to chocolate, did they have anything else? The people said no and felt bad. So Angie told him not to tell any more houses, just take the candy bars, and she would exchange them for gummie snacks when they got home. So the next house he takes the candy bar, says Thank you, and steps away. Then his little sister Maddie steps up, says and says "What else do you have for my brother? He's allergic to chocolate, and my Mother won't let him tell you." Angie said she almost dropped through the floor. She said not only do they feel bad for Gavin, but they look at her like "What kind of Mother are you?" She also said when they go back out toting this year, she bets everyone will have something non-chocolate to give Gavin, since she thinks they stuck out from the crowd this year. lol

debbie5 · #10 03-21-2012

Dang..I'm cheap. I do 20 cents a kid.

I usually have red licorice (cheap) Smarties (cheap) or Frooties (like a Tootsie roll but fruity)..I can't afford chocolate. I usually keep some small toys for kids who are extra polite or have costumes which please me...this year I have about about 120 parachute men I got 90% off last year.