We are living on base and our circle of probably 50 homes is playing that game where you drop off a basket of alcohol (thus the term boozed) for Halloween. We were boozed last night. I'm not sure I'm really a fan. This sort of reminds me of the pressure to do work gift exchanges. The Facebook post said there would be instructions to opt out if you were boozed, but don't want to participate. That was not the case. Only instructions on how to pass it along, which I guess technically could mean I could pass the basket we received to the next person.
Our basket was a purple Halloween themed plastic bucket, probably from Dollar Tree, with sweet Rose wine and a mini shot bottle of vodka, along with about ten pieces of candy. Oh there was some crinkle paper in there for stuffing and a huge (also plastic) spider web decoration (also probably from Dollar Tree). I don't decorate for Halloween, so the bucket and the decoration are basically not something I want to keep. We also don't drink sweet wine OR vodka!
Part of me wants to just play along and spend the $10 to buy some alcohol. Another part of me wants to figure out how play along on the cheap. I wish I could pass on the basket and decoration without feeling guilty. I know for sure our gift came from our direct next door neighbors. I saw her walk up to the porch last night. I feel like I could find something to wrap around the bucket to make it look a little different, but probably not on the decoration. I could also just buy beer and put as many as could fit. No one said it has to be wine! I could also put an orange ribbon on six pack of bottle beer and call it good.
So...play along with me. What would YOU do? Would you participate? Would you go out all out? How would you make it frugal?
(Oh, and I'm think we might just pass the sweet Rose wine to a coworker of my husband's at Christmas, assuming she drinks alcohol)
We Were Boozed!
October 24th, 2019 at 12:17 pm
October 24th, 2019 at 12:28 pm 1571920119
I would just re-gift item if nothing is something you would use.
October 24th, 2019 at 01:01 pm 1571922060
October 24th, 2019 at 01:02 pm 1571922128
I do think Smallsteps makes a good point about the temptation to teens!
October 24th, 2019 at 02:43 pm 1571928202
Also, do you not like Dollar Tree?
October 24th, 2019 at 03:29 pm 1571930961
While it may be irritating because it wasn't a planned expense, it is a fun thing to do with the neighbors. At Christmas time, our neighborhood does a progressive party - we all start at one house and have appetizers/cocktails, then move to the next house for soups/salads, then to the next one for entree, then onto desert and then to the gift exchange house (where we do steal a gift - and the rules are it has to be something you already own to exchange)
October 24th, 2019 at 03:59 pm 1571932769
October 24th, 2019 at 04:00 pm 1571932830
October 24th, 2019 at 04:13 pm 1571933615
@Butterscotch, I find it kind of weird too, although it's all over Pinterest and I've seen and participated in the kids Boo'd version years ago. I'm not against Dollar Tree at all. I shop there for cards and mailing supplies. I was just describing the items which I guess wasn't necessarily pertinent to mention. I definitely think these kinds of things could get pricey if people bought all new and more expensive items.
@Treeluva, I do think it's the unplanned part that is irritating. The couple that started it did put it on a FB page a week ago, but I had no idea if anyone really drop anything off for us. And it's not like they took a poll to see who would be interested. At most it's probably a $15 investment and you do get something from someone else that is likely similarly equal in value. I have an old friend that does that in her neighborhood, unfortunately, my husband isn't social enough to want to participate in that.
@crazyliblady, the basket is purple and has black bats and the words Happy Halloween on it!! I think maybe I'll keep it for next year in case this goes around again! Yes, I too, would rather do a potluck, which has been done a few times in the past year.
October 24th, 2019 at 07:23 pm 1571945014
That being said I'd buy a 6 pack of some local craft beer and call it a day? I think that might be fun. Maybe a 6 pack of hallooween cider or beer. We have some in our fridge. So it would be "themed" and you'd seem cooler. I don't like the idea of leaving booze out. Candy I an get behind though I am not really into it.
October 24th, 2019 at 07:49 pm 1571946563
October 24th, 2019 at 08:54 pm 1571950444
@DisneySteve, you keep what you were given and then go 'booze' another neighbor with 'spirited' gift.
I think I'm going to ring the doorbell when I drop mine off to hopefully avoid leaving alcohol out for the taking by teens. Clearly this whole thing was started by people who like alcohol as gifts. We do drink, but would prefer to buy our own. Technically it stops on the day before Halloween, so whoever started it obviously doesn't get a gift and whoever gets it last doesn't have to return the favor. Yes, it's all kind of silly really, but I get how some people find it fun in our consumer world!
October 24th, 2019 at 09:20 pm 1571952042
Do they tell you who to give your basket to?
I'm with you. We drink and have a well-stocked bar, but we don't want just anything. We have somewhat expensive taste and I doubt anyone is tossing a bottle of single barrel cask strength bourbon in the basket. Somebody mentioned buying craft beer. That would be a waste for us as neither of us drink beer. I'd pass that along to the next person if that's what we got.
Given the chance, I'd opt out of something like this. Too late for that though. If I was stuck in the chain, I'd do it. I just wouldn't like it and I'd probably just regift whatever we had been given.
October 24th, 2019 at 09:32 pm 1571952726
I agree there really is a lot wrong with this. I'm just trying to be a good sport and neighbor. Since we leave on base some of these neighbors do work with my husband. I checked today and one of their houses has not been Boozed, so I will drop our basket with them. There's no guarantee that everyone that is even aware this is going on will even get a basket.
October 25th, 2019 at 02:03 am 1571969022
October 25th, 2019 at 02:04 am 1571969088
I would pick up a bottle of wine. That's cheap, under $10 easily. Most liquor stores also sell individual bottles of various beers so you could put in a few different bottles. And you could add in something non-alcoholic and/or snacks like nuts or something. $20 would probably be plenty.
October 25th, 2019 at 03:47 am 1571975250
Also, if you did, what if you end up dumping a basket on someone's porch who is an alcoholic struggling to stay sober? Or a kid steals it? No, this was poorly thought out by the people who started this. I wouldn't participate if it were me.
October 25th, 2019 at 10:45 am 1572000338
I would probably scour the house for a basket or pick up something at the store and look for something on sale or pick up a couple more travel size bottles of vodka and gin and throw in some tonic. If the alcohol thing offends you then pick up some ginger ale and cherries and add a Shirley Temple recipe
October 26th, 2019 at 07:43 pm 1572119008