If you're going to be out trick-or-treating tonight with your own kids but you still want to pass out candy to the neighborhood, this self-serve method will solve your dilemma. And with no potential downsides, this is a total Halloween win.  What could possibly go wrong?

We're passing out Fun Dip, Skittles, Sweedish Fish, and Starbursts tonight, and we don't even have to be home to do it.  We'll be a few neighborhoods away trick-or-treating with friends, and we're planning to leave the porch light on with an orange bowl of candy right next to the front door with an invitation to "take two."

Trick-or-treaters will be on the honor system, and I'm sure everything will go super smooth, like a caramel ribbon running through a full-sized candy bar.  And if it doesn't, well, we'll be gone and we'll never know exactly how it all went down.

If you're passing out candy tonight, this is the way to go.  And you can watch social media to see if you create a frenzy.

Why Self-Serve Trick-or-Treating Wins Halloween:

1.  The dogs don't bark every time the doorbell rings.  Because the doorbell doesn't ring.  The pups can take a nice long nap and never know that there are witches, Power Rangers, Wonder Women, and probably some other dogs lurking on the other side of the door.

2.  We don't have to give a group of teenagers the side eye when they show up without a costume begging for candy.  They can "take two" and keep on walkin', and if they take more, well, karma will get 'em.

3.  If a greedy kid shows up and dumps the whole self-serve bowl into his pillowcase, that will make the candy all gone.  Which is the same end result that I would have if I were standing at the door passing out candy piece-by-piece for three hours.  This scenario would just help achieve the goal more quickly.

4.  Kids who are too shy to get out the words, "Trick or treat," will love this house.  They don't have to say a thing, and they still get some Fun Dip.  They can work on the confidence and bravery skills at the next house, and they can enjoy this rest stop on that journey.

5.  Parents can sneak some candy too.  There has to be a sweet bonus involved for dedicated parents who trudge up and down the streets directing kids on which way to go and holding parts of costumes that fall off.  Go ahead, parents, take two.  The Skittles and Starbursts will go nicely with that rum and Diet Coke that you're carrying around in your Halloween "coffee mug."

Have a safe and happy Halloween!  And if you don't get your fill of candy tonight, it will all be half price tomorrow to fill up that pillowcase.  Have fun.

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