Halloween is a beloved holiday celebrated each year on October 31st. It’s a time for costumes, candy, and tricks or treats. One of the most well-known Halloween traditions is trick-or-treating, where kids dress up and go door to door collecting candy. However, some troublemakers like to play tricks too. One notorious Halloween trick involves leaving brussel sprouts on doorsteps instead of candy.
What are brussel sprouts?
Brussel sprouts are a type of vegetable that look like tiny cabbages. They grow in clusters on long thick stalks. Each sprout is usually about 1-3 inches wide. When fully grown, brussel sprouts are bright green in color.
Brussel sprouts have a mild, slightly bitter taste. They are often cooked by roasting, sautéing, steaming, or boiling. Raw brussel sprouts have a crunchier texture and more pungent flavor.
These mini cabbage cousins provide many nutrients but are notoriously disliked by kids and picky eaters. The strong taste and smell of brussel sprouts often deters people from eating them. They’ve been ranked as one of the most hated vegetables in the United States.
Why are brussel sprouts used for Halloween tricks?
During Halloween, brussel sprouts are sometimes used by pranksters as a trick instead of a treat. There are a few reasons why:
- Brussel sprouts look vaguely similar to candy when left on doorsteps in small bags or containers.
- They provide a healthy punishment for those expecting sweet treats.
- Most kids and many adults despise brussel sprouts and will be disgusted if they receive them.
- Brussel sprouts can send a smellier, more rotten message than innocuous objects like rocks.
- Leaving brussel sprouts requires purchasing and preparing them, showing extra effort.
Overall, brussel sprout tricks take advantage of people’s hatred of the vegetable to provoke dismay and disgust. They provide pranksters more satifaction than leaving non-food items.
What are some examples of brussel sprout tricks?
Brussel sprout tricks vary in their execution, but they all capitalize on the vilified vegetable’s shock factor. Some popular ways to troll with brussel sprouts include:
- Placing a dozen or more brussel sprouts in small boxes, bags, or containers and leaving them on doorsteps. This mimics candy or treat bags.
- Leaving a bucket or bowl of loose brussel sprouts for kids to grab handfuls from.
- Microwaving brussel sprouts so they are hot and extra smelly when people reach into the trick container.
- Hollowing out brussel sprouts and stuffing them with gross things like clumps of hair, mud, worms, etc. before resealing them and handing them out.
- Serving brussel sprout “soup” by boiling them in a pumpkin bucket and leaving the bucket for people to stick their hands into.
- Launching brussel sprouts at doors or windows so they splatter across the house.
As you can see, some brussel sprout tricks go above and beyond, using the element of surprise to increase disgust. The tricks aim to revolt trick-or-treaters by exploiting the reputation of brussel sprouts.
What are the effects of getting the brussel sprout trick?
Having brussel sprouts left on your doorstep or handed to you can provoke several unpleasant effects:
- Disappointment – Those expecting candy are let down when given the hated vegetable instead.
- Disgust – Many people find brussel sprouts repulsive, especially when they look like candy.
- Anger – Homeowners may get angry that pranksters are leaving messes on their property.
- Confusion – At first, recipients may be baffled why they are getting brussel sprouts.
- Offense – Some may find the prank rude, mean-spirited, or inappropriate.
In general, brussel sprout tricks prey on people’s aversion to the vegetable, making them feel upset, grossed out, or indignant. However, some may find the experience funny once they understand it’s a prank.
How prevalent is the brussel sprout Halloween trick?
While brussel sprout tricks have a notorious reputation, exactly how common they are is unclear. There are no official statistics on pranks involving brussel sprouts on Halloween. Some sources suggest the tricks are:
- Mostly an urban legend or viral story that people repeat more than actually experience.
- A real but rare prank that only some troublemakers actually try.
- Unique to certain neighborhoods or regions of the country.
- Making a resurgence in recent years thanks to social media attention.
Many sources agree that brussel sprout tricks are far less common than pranks involving toilet paper, eggs, or pumpkins. However, even occasional sprout tricks can garner attention and shape the vegetable’s foul reputation.
Where did the brussel sprout trick originate?
The exact origins of using brussel sprouts for Halloween tricks are unknown. However, the prank may have emerged decades ago and gained notoriety through rumors and media coverage. Some possible theories include:
- Disgruntled farmers getting revenge for low sprout sales by offloading surplus crops.
- Angry parents using sprouts to discourage candy consumption.
- People copying unusual pranks described in news articles or books.
- Kids searching for more disgusting prank items escalating from rocks or eggs.
The trick certainly relies on and reinforces the cultural dislike of brussel sprouts in America. It may have first appeared in regions with lots of brussel sprout farming before spreading through media hype. The exact roots remain shrouded in mystery!
Are brussel sprout tricks illegal?
Leaving brussel sprouts on someone’s property without their permission could potentially constitute trespassing or littering. However, most brussel sprout pranks are harmless enough that they are not likely to be reported or prosecuted as crimes. Nonetheless, there are some risks, as with any trespassing or vandalism behavior. Anyone attempting sprout tricks should be aware it may be viewed as:
- Trespassing – Entering private property without permission is trespassing.
- Littering – Leaving slime, muck, food waste, etc could violate littering laws.
- Harassment – Repeated unwanted acts could potentially be harassment.
- Nuisance – Pranks that create messes may breach local nuisance ordinances.
In most places, one-time brussel sprout tricks are not strictly illegal. However, they toe the line of legality and decency, so pranksters should use good judgment.
What are the risks of performing brussel sprout tricks?
Beyond potential illegality, brussel sprout pranks come with social risks:
- Retaliation – Homeowners may escalate with revenge tricks of their own.
- Damaged relationships – Friends and neighbors may shun known sprout tricksters.
- Social media shaming – Video footage can lead to viral mocking and outrage.
- Bad examples for kids – Parents don’t want children learning these disrespectful behaviors.
There are also physical risks around provoking strangers with these types of tricks. Anyone fed up with sprouts being left on their doorstep could potentially react aggressively. Overall, brussel sprout tricks require accepting significant social and personal risks.
What should you do if you receive brussel sprouts as a trick?
If you open your door on Halloween to find brussel sprouts instead of candy, here are some recommended actions:
- Take a photo of the sprouts to share the odd trick with friends and family online.
- Discard the brussel sprouts properly so they don’t rot or attract pests.
- If you suspect certain neighbors, consider talking to their parents about the prank.
- Assume it’s a one-time gag and avoid retaliation or escalation.
- Purchase extra candy so future trick-or-treaters don’t leave empty-handed.
- Relax and remember most kids will still enjoy Halloween with or without getting candy from you.
With maturity and grace, you can overcome some temporary sprout-induced frustration. Don’t give tricksters the satisfaction of knowing they ruined your night. Keep perspective and continue spreading Halloween joy.
Should parents allow brussel sprout tricks?
Most parenting experts recommend against allowing or encouraging brussel sprout tricks:
- It promotes mean-spiritedness and property damage, even mildly.
- Retaliation from angry neighbors could escalate into true danger.
- Tricks could spiral into vandalism, theft, or violence if taken too far.
- Kids’ developing ethics and judgment may get skewed by prank acceptance.
However, some parents believe harmless tricks teach creativity and help kids blow off steam. Those who do allow sprout tricks should at least:
- Have a thorough discussion about pranking etiquette.
- Keep quantities modest, no bucketsful that make big messes.
- Have their children participate in any cleanup required.
- Carefully choose targets who are especially unbothered by tricks.
With preparation and limits, brussel sprout tricks may be able to provide some silly Halloween memories without causing real trouble. But not all parents will think the juice is worth the squeeze.
Are there any positive outcomes to brussel sprout tricks?
While brussel sprout tricks intend to dismay and disgust, there are some potential positive outcomes that may occur:
- Kids may try brussel sprouts for the first time and discover they like the taste.
- Recipients could gain a funny story and sense of humor about the experience.
- Youth may feel satisfaction from successfully executing a logistically complex prank plan.
- Greater wariness about opening doors could lead to safer trick-or-treating habits.
- More awareness of food waste if uneaten sprouts are discarded.
However, most would argue these benefits aren’t worth the negatives of celebrating mean-spiritedness. The positives are more side effects than compelling reasons to actually perform brussel sprout tricks.
How can you prank using brussel sprouts more responsibly?
Those seeking a brussel sprout prank should consider kinder, more positive options, such as:
- Handing out small bags of brussel sprouts to parents as you take their kids trick-or-treating.
- Serving brussel sprout appetizers or side dishes at a Halloween party for unsuspecting guests.
- Replacing the chocolate chips in Halloween cookies with chopped brussel sprouts.
- Freezing brussel sprouts into creepy ice cubes for Halloween punch.
With creativity, you can leverage brussel sprouts for harmless tricks focused on fun rather than mean-spiritedness. Just be sure to have candy on hand too in case the sprouts don’t go over well!
Conclusion
The infamous tradition of leaving brussel sprouts instead of candy on Halloween relies on the vegetable’s disgusting reputation to provoke trick-or-treaters. But beyond the initial shock value, these tricks lack deeper purpose beyond base-level pranking. There are certainly more constructive ways to spark Halloween fun. However, for some troublemakers, the lure of the despised sprout endures.