Hellobee Boards

I've totally been where you are now! When moved to TX, it seemed like folks around here start trick-or-treating later than they did in NY, which threw me (especially since we don't have sidewalks in my neighborhood)! Hopefully you get some Boston Bees to fill you in.
When DS was 2, we were relatively new to the neighborhood. We took him around to our nearest neighbors, and focused on those who had decorated for Halloween. I made him do all the walking, so he didn't last too long.
I had alternative snacks and goodies at home so I could "trade" with him for something that I would rather have him eat. I also helped him pick out stuff from the bowl that was 2-year-old friendly.

As for what to buy, I bought way too much our first year, but the next day DH and I took it to work to give away to folks. I also got a bunch of not-candy treats (for kids who have allergies, etc) and those keep from year-to-year.

When you're done handing out candy, just turn off all of your porch/front lights. That's the universal sign of "no candy here"

Some non-candy alternative ideas that we've gotten in the past... small bags of chips, microwave popcorn, glow necklaces, hot chocolate packets. halloween pencils/crayons, spider rings, etc.

Here's a rundown of how it goes for us and our neighborhood (suburban FL)...

Our house doesn't get a ton of trick-or-treaters, so we buy a few bags of candy and have some non-candy treats in a separate bowl for those with allergies or who just want to pick something else (glow bouncy balls, bracelets, etc.).
Since we are always out taking the kids around, we just leave the bowls on our porch with the light on and people know to take some and move along. We've never come home to empty bowls and usually for the 'last' group, we will give all the candy to the kids (to their delight). We did once have a group of teens swipe our bowl and run off but we were in the living room and DH heard them and went after and got our bowl back
One house in our area hands out snack size bags of chips which is a fun way to give a treat that's not sweet.

We start out when it's still light, around 6 or 6:30, in order to be home at a decent hour. When she was small we took the stroller. Then we started going with another family close to us and we toted the kids in our wagon for longer stretches of walking. We see lots of familes in big groups who tote a wagon for supplies or even a cooler with beverages. Our route each year is pretty much the same and we focus on houses with lights on and decorations.

We always give ourselves and the kids glow-stick necklaces so we can easily see each other when it gets darker. When she was small, we would walk up with LO to every house but now we let them walk up and give a lot of reminders about saying 'trick or treat' and 'thank you'. We've never done the switch witch but like others, we let her have her treats here and there and they taper down as time passes after the holiday. We don't go out for too long so that we don't end up with a massive amount in the first place.

Have fun!!

One lesson I learned the first year giving out candy is that I prefer to hand it out rather than say "you can choose __ pieces". First, because it takes some kids FOREVER to choose and can create a backlog. Second, you get some older kids who just grab a handful anyway and run away! Sometimes when I start handing out candy a kid will say "oh, could I have Reese's?" or something, and I'll try to accommodate those requests.

This year we are going with our 5 yo and 14 mo sons. We live on a crescent so we maybe have 20 houses and just do the circle and come back to our place. We leave a bowl out while we are gone and I don’t really care if someone takes it all, though it hasn’t happened yet in the 4 Halloween’s we’ve had so far. We have a box of 120 chocolate bars and a 32 pack of mini Pringle’s cans this year. We buy things we like to eat in case there’s leftover! No idea how many kids we get as we aren’t usually home. We carve our pumpkin the night before and plan an easy meal so we can go out by 6. Bundle up under the costume if it’s cold/raining/snowing which it almost always is here in Canada ! And I take a plastic grocery bag in my pocket as the bucket gets too full for them to carry so I empty it out...and trust me, they always HAVE to carry it, heaven forbid I try to help! We only go to decorated houses as well. I prep my oldest before and allow him to have 2 candies when we get back and the rest goes into the cupboard for another day. I’m sure he will whine about it this year but out of sight works for him. Once we get home, we do our regular bedtime routine and turn out all the lights upstairs and outside when our kids go to bed so no one comes to our door and wakes them up.

Over the last ten years I’ve lived in like 6 different neighborhoods and ZERO times have I had kids show up looking for candy. We live in a very middle-of-the-road suburban neighborhood (definitely surrounded by nicer areas but not dangerous at all).

This year I got a notice from NextDoor asking if we’re handing out candy. I imagine other places have similar things.

We usually go to a planned event (not in our direct neighborhood but near us there are several nicer areas where 1-2 blocks will do a kind of “block party” halloween thing and all the houses give out candy). Most people I know here do this because it’s easier than trawling your neighborhood looking for the 1 house every mile that hands out candy.

My brother’s downtown area has an annual afternoon event where all the local businesses hand out candy from like 2-6pm. We usually go to this at around 3ish. I like that it’s early, we go with family (my brother takes a long lunch to do it with his daughter!).

I live in Northern CA and every time I move to a new area I’m blown away by how few houses do trick or treating. If we didn’t go to an event it probably wouldn’t happen.

Just to comment on the allergy part-my daughter was 2.5 the first time she went trick or treating, and I just bought a small Halloween gift pack from Vermont Nut Free chocolates and was just very up front with her about how her allergy meant there was some candy she couldn’t have because it wasn’t safe, but that I got her some special candy. She just loved asking for candy and didn’t mind that she couldn’t eat it because she knew there was something else special later. Then we just let her have a few candies on Halloween, and then one thing each night after dinner. We let her keep any candy that was safe for her and any non candy items. We ate the rest.

@periwinklebee: Where in Boston are you? We are in the North Shore

Many families in our nieghborhoods participate in teal pumpkin project - I bet your kiddo will have lots of fun non-candy options!

We start after dinner so around 6/6:30 and usually stay out for an hour then come back home to hand out candy (we leave bowls out while we are gone).

Our first was about your kiddo's age when we went for the first time and while he didn't totally get it, it was seriously the cutest most fun night ever - you should totally try it out and if it's a fail you can just head home!

As for leftover candy, lots of places have donations for the troupes or things like that!