A number of things rather strange here. Being offered sweets 15 times during 1 afternoon seems a lot to me to start with. Don’t most people offer a box round once or twice and that’s it. Most people if offered 15 times, wouldn’t take that many times anyway....I’d imagine those doing the usual thing and popping into their mouth the sweet they had taken, wouldn’t have each eaten 15.
People seem to confuse choice, rights and manners here. No-one is forced to accept something they have been offered. When sweets or snacks are offered round, frequently some people will decline. All fine. And this thing about choosing when to eat treats etc....well yes, everyone can choose for themselves when they eat treats or if at all, but the usual thing when being offered treats at a hosts house, is that the treat is for there and then, in the same way the meal is for that meal time. When you go to someone’s house, the invitation (if there were one) would say ‘you are invited for dinner’ not ‘you are invited for a meal, which you are free to remove and eat at any time convenient to you in any location of your choice’
So, whilst, no-one would probably bat an eyelid, if someone offered a sweet said ‘oh these are my favourites, I hope you don’t mind if I save this for later as I’m just so full after that lovely meal’ and slipped ONE into their bag, that is a very different scenario to squirrelling vast quantities.
When you go out in public, social norms and manners come into play. Your usual unusual eating times or habits might need to be adjusted slightly. For example you cannot determine the exact time of meals or exactly what is offered. No one needs to eat things they don’t want, but the idea that because usually you eat at a different time, the food should all be available as a takeaway for your own convenience, is just missing the point of being sociable. Unwillingness to make any adjustments or to accept that whitest in someone else’s house, one just goes along with what is happening, accepting and dealing the hospitality offered as necessary, seems odd to me.
Ultimately, squirrelling 15 chocolates is surprising and indicates some likely underlying issues. It could be total lack of social awareness, but is more likely to be something about social anxiety or food control issues. It’s going to be more than just being a bit rude and unaware of the issue of taking candy from the baby, or that food offered is offered for that point in time.
But the thing that surprises me is all the people who then popped up to suggest that when out enjoying the hospitality of others, that they feel they should be able to take food home, if not fancying it at that point, and how little social awareness or flexibility about eating times or types of food people seem to have....that they only see exactly what they want and have no sense or fitting into a social occasion. Perhaps for a lot of people, their only outing if the year is for Christmas and they are unable to make any adjustments to their daily routine. I guess I’m just surprised at how widespread this seems to be, rather than just a tiny number of people.