Some people have suggested put out bowls of Halloween candy with a “take one” sign. This eliminates constantly answering the door.
 
Others have suggested putting out empty bowls with the “take one” signs. People would think that someone grabbed all the candy—never knowing that there was no candy ever put out in the bowls! THis concept was explained in the Los Angeles (CA) Times on November 5, 1993:
 
“I set an empty bowl outside with a note that said, `Please take one.’ That way, people would at least think I tried.”
 
The “empty bowl” Halloween concept has been printed on ecards.
     
   
Los Angeles (CA) Times
ON THE PREP PATH / BARBIE LUDOVISE : Quarterback Fakes Out Trick-or-Treaters
November 05, 1993 | BARBIE LUDOVISE
(...)
“I set an empty bowl outside with a note that said, `Please take one,’ ” Good said. “That way, people would at least think I tried.”
   
Twitter
chanomie‏
@chanomie
celebrating halloween by locking the door, turning off the lights and putting an empty bowl out front with “please take one” sign
11:36 PM - 31 Oct 2007
     
Twitter
Jared Blitzstein‏
@jcblitz
Protip: To save money on Halloween candy, just put out about 6 empty bowls and a post-it that says ‘Take One piece of candy’. #fb
8:41 AM - 29 Oct 2009
 
Twitter
hollee‏
@hollee
For Halloween I’m shutting the blinds and putting out a big empty bowl with a sign that says “Take One.”
9:15 AM - 29 Oct 2009
     
Twitter 
4charliebrown‏
@4charliebrown
for my final act I will place an (empty) bowl of candy w/ sign that reads “Please be nice to others and only take one candy HAPPY HALLOWEEN”
4:16 PM - 31 Oct 2009
 
Twitter
Andy Wittwer‏
@andywittwer
Haloween tip from my cousin Whitney - put out an empty bowl with a sign that says “take one please…happy halloween”
7:14 PM - 31 Oct 2009
 
Twitter
Willy‏
@bigwillystylin
Halloween cost saving tip: empty bowl + “please take one” sign
2:18 PM - 31 Oct 2012
 
Twitter
Aden Johnson‏
@johnson_aden
This year for Halloween I’m going to put out empty bowls and it has a sigh saying take one so the kids would think so jerk took it all
10:22 AM - 31 Jul 2013
 
Reddit—Shower Thoughts
If I put an empty bowl out on Halloween with a sign that says “Take one”, I’ll look like a good person and everyone will think someone just took all the candy
submitted October 29, 2016 by TheJigIsUp
 
Reddit—Shower Thoughts
People can get away with putting out empty bowls on Halloween with ‘take one’ signs
submitted October 16, 2017 by ilikebutteryfries