10 Horrible Halloween Treat Ideas

If you care about being Good News in Your Neighborhood, Halloween is one of the easiest days on the calendar to get out and meet a lot of people. Since 2005, I’ve written a number of posts encouraging fellow Christians to embrace Halloween as an opportunity to meet your neighbors.

So I won’t rehash why we celebrate Halloween or re-share some of the things we’ve done in the past to practice hospitality.

But I do want to say that not every idea is a good idea. And not every treat idea is a good treat idea. Every year my kids come home from trick-or-treating and lay out all of their candy on the floor. As they carefully examine each treat some of them get labeled as “junk.” (Something healthy. Or even a dime store toy.) Giving out “junk” is the biggest insult you can give a kind on Halloween night. Don’t be that guy.

Here’s a list of 10 really horrible Halloween treat ideas NOT to try this year.

  1. Ketchup packets – Cheap, and you probably have a drawer full of them already. But I not a treat that’ll make a 6 year old happy.
  2. Bacon bits – Bacon is always a welcome addition. And bacon bits would be awesome with a snack sized Snickers. But little ziplocks of bacon bits would be gross.
  3.  Beef jerky – Jerky would look amazing to give away. In the dark it might look like poop, and kids would think that was funny, but an assortment of cured meats would be a bit too creepy.
  4.  KFC wet naps – Probably useful, especially if their face paint starts to run, but just don’t do this one. It’s really odd.
  5. Roll of electrical tape – I know its tempting to go through your garage to find random items to pawn off on kids. While a roll of tape would be a good bargain, most kids won’t know what to do with it.
  6. Sample size toothpaste – I get it. You work at a dental office and you get it for free. And why not encourage kids to brush their teeth after eating all of that candy. But no, really weird. Unless it looks like blood. Blood is cool on Halloween.
  7. Plastic spoon – Nothing says, “I hate you” quite like a random bit of disposable cutlery. Just don’t do this. Megan (11) said this would be the dumbest thing ever.
  8. Band aids – Really weird and gross. Say no to the adhesive bandage.
  9. A pickle – I love pickles. Probably more than I love bacon. But can you imagine the look on kids faces when you dropped a dripping wet pickle in their bag?
  10. Canned food item – Hold off on unloading that unwanted can of stewed chutney until Novembers canned food drive, OK?

Question: What would be the worst costume you could wear if you wanted to become Good News in Your Neighborhood?


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5 responses to “10 Horrible Halloween Treat Ideas”

  1. Shawn Kiger Avatar

    Love your halloween ideas Adam! Last year my oldest daughter (then 4 years old) came up with the idea of decorating our front yard like wizard of oz. (she drew out a map and everything) We had the little house on the witch, emerald city all light up, the yellow brick road, and we set up a screen and showed the movie. She also asked all the youth to come dressed up like characters from the movie. They loved it and so did the neighborhood. This year I hear the theme is Alice in Wonderland. Fun stuff!

  2. Jason Aten Avatar
    Jason Aten

    I can’t believe Tracts didn’t make this list 😉

    1. Adam McLane Avatar

      Ha! Yeah, straight up trick there. My kids got 1 last year…

  3. Scott Riley Avatar

    The Devil if you were trying “to scare the hell out of them!”

    Oh, and bacon is always a good idea!!!

  4. Josh Corley Avatar

    This made me wonder what a pickle wrapped in bacon would be like? I’ve had pickles with cream cheese and ham and they’re pretty sweet. With bacon…. Hmmm…

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