General Discussion

AverageOldGuy

(3,152 posts)

9. Pencils

Fri Oct 31, 2025, 08:43 PM

Oct 31

A few years ago we had not stocked up on candy. Wife is retired high school English teacher who always had a few boxes of new standard yellow #2 pencils . We gave kids a choice of candy or a pencil — over half the kids took the pencil!!

Since then we have always laid in a good supply of both. Pencils are still a hit.

This year I was not paying attention and I ordered two gross - 24 dozen - pencils from Amazon - #2, variety of designs and colors. Gave my daughter who lives on Capitol Hill one gross - 144 pencils — she ran out!

We live in an apartment building with only a few kids. First kid took two pencils and said something like “Wow! I need a pencil for school!” So I gave each a dozen. Only about a dozen other kids came by, gave each kid six, have six left now.

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I have something to say: [View all] PCIntern Oct 31 OP

In my area we have 30+% of population missing a paper or two, they are the politest and cutest kids. Silent Type Oct 31 #1

That's the case near the practice I work in PCIntern Oct 31 #2

The children that came tonight? JustAnotherGen Oct 31 #15

I think we had less this year than last. Sadly, likely due to people scared to go out. Silent Type Nov 1 #19

I put ForgedCrank Oct 31 #3

Not a bad idea. PCIntern Oct 31 #4

I know I ForgedCrank Oct 31 #5

I agree 100%... PCIntern Oct 31 #6

We wrap things up by 9:15 P.M. and turn out the lights. Wednesdays Oct 31 #14

Our church had a trunk or treat earlier this week - a couple of hundred kids. Staph Oct 31 #7

Halloween is for all of us kids Billsdaughter Oct 31 #8

Pencils AverageOldGuy Oct 31 #9

I knew you would get to this - entitlement. Kids that already "have" will be more greedy. erronis Oct 31 #10

As usual, we have more candy than we need. TomSlick Oct 31 #11

Why police them? why not just hand it out instead of giving them the option to fail? WhiskeyGrinder Oct 31 #12

The custom I grew up as a kid... Wednesdays Oct 31 #16

I beg your pardon! Abolishinist Nov 1 #20

I know, right? What if they are allergic to the ingredients in one of the options or just don't like them? meadowlander Nov 1 #21

Jesus.... PCIntern Nov 1 #22

I have to agree Cirsium Oct 31 #13

I was at my son's house. He put out 5 bowls. There were a variety of mini candy bars, 2 kinds of packaged cookies, and appleannie1 Oct 31 #17

Middle-Class Kids.. jfz9580m Oct 31 #18