allen levine
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- 12,344
- Location
- new york city burbs
for 15 or so years, Ive given children small toys, or other small items(costume jewelry, school things, etc) instead of handing out candy to the trick/treat kids that come to our door.
Seems over the years I built up a reputation as the toy house, and the past few years we get more and more kids, as they just look forward to it, and I see it brings a drop of happiness to them. Lets face it, who doesn't like to get a little surprise present now and then.
Ive changed over the past few years, giving the girls current costume jewelry, seems they really like that stuff, and I can purchase it wholesale so my costs are ridiculously low compared to what some retailers charge for them
The boys, well, its been small die cast cars and balsa planes and things like that, but this year, its light up yoyos because the cost of die cast has skyrocketed IM guessing due to tariffs and other import taxes.
I drove into manhattan this morning to some of my old favorite wholesalers and picked up 30 dozen bracelets, hair goodies, and rings for the girls, and 144 light up yoyos for boys.
I still have a lot of die cast left over from previous years along with other assorted small toys.
I still keep assorted chocolate bars for the bigger kids who aren't interested in toys, they just want the candy.
It was quite a nice haul today, traffic wasn't bad, weather was perfect, top was down, oldies were on the radio, and Im keeping the tradition alive and all the kids wont be disappointed come oct 31.(last year, the day after hurricane sandy, we only saw maybe 25-50 children, but a lot of the local kids saw me that week and asked me if I gave out toys, and I told them Id be more than happy to give them their treats since they missed out on trick or treating.
My wife gives me a little grief each year, complaining the doorbell doesn't stop ringing, but she loves it, and my daughter usually comes over to hand out stuff, as when the parents get home from work, the minivans start pulling up in front of my house, sometimes we laugh, as we know people come here from other neighborhoods, but we love to see the kids happy.
even picked up a bunch of xmas stuff, like keychains and stocking purses, to give out along with the gifts I make for people, a little nice touch I feel, tape a santa keychain to the package.
the only children that present a problem, is the real little babies, the ones in strollers or their mommys arms, so I purchase a few dozen 5 or 6 inch teddy bears each year, just for that age bracket, and if they eat candy, well, that's up to the mothers.
I know this post has nothing to do with woodworking, sorry bout that. If I don't sit here and read or contribute, Im going to have to go downstairs and pull carpet tacks out of a floor, so Im doing anything today to avoid having to do that. Maybe the carpet tack fairy will come tonight while Im sleeping and pull them out for me, or at least I can wish for that.
Seems over the years I built up a reputation as the toy house, and the past few years we get more and more kids, as they just look forward to it, and I see it brings a drop of happiness to them. Lets face it, who doesn't like to get a little surprise present now and then.
Ive changed over the past few years, giving the girls current costume jewelry, seems they really like that stuff, and I can purchase it wholesale so my costs are ridiculously low compared to what some retailers charge for them
The boys, well, its been small die cast cars and balsa planes and things like that, but this year, its light up yoyos because the cost of die cast has skyrocketed IM guessing due to tariffs and other import taxes.
I drove into manhattan this morning to some of my old favorite wholesalers and picked up 30 dozen bracelets, hair goodies, and rings for the girls, and 144 light up yoyos for boys.
I still have a lot of die cast left over from previous years along with other assorted small toys.
I still keep assorted chocolate bars for the bigger kids who aren't interested in toys, they just want the candy.
It was quite a nice haul today, traffic wasn't bad, weather was perfect, top was down, oldies were on the radio, and Im keeping the tradition alive and all the kids wont be disappointed come oct 31.(last year, the day after hurricane sandy, we only saw maybe 25-50 children, but a lot of the local kids saw me that week and asked me if I gave out toys, and I told them Id be more than happy to give them their treats since they missed out on trick or treating.
My wife gives me a little grief each year, complaining the doorbell doesn't stop ringing, but she loves it, and my daughter usually comes over to hand out stuff, as when the parents get home from work, the minivans start pulling up in front of my house, sometimes we laugh, as we know people come here from other neighborhoods, but we love to see the kids happy.
even picked up a bunch of xmas stuff, like keychains and stocking purses, to give out along with the gifts I make for people, a little nice touch I feel, tape a santa keychain to the package.
the only children that present a problem, is the real little babies, the ones in strollers or their mommys arms, so I purchase a few dozen 5 or 6 inch teddy bears each year, just for that age bracket, and if they eat candy, well, that's up to the mothers.
I know this post has nothing to do with woodworking, sorry bout that. If I don't sit here and read or contribute, Im going to have to go downstairs and pull carpet tacks out of a floor, so Im doing anything today to avoid having to do that. Maybe the carpet tack fairy will come tonight while Im sleeping and pull them out for me, or at least I can wish for that.
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