People leaving boxes of sweets/a toy in park - weird, right?

[MidnightRunning]

Took DS to the park this morning. Quite a few other families there. One several benches and pieces of play equipment, there were toy trains (new) and small cardboard boxes which had a note attached saying 'open me'. Out of curiosity, I opened one. Full of sweets (individually wrapped, like lollies refresher bars etc...) Had to explain to DS (5) that while it was a lovely gesture, if we don't know who left them there, it's not safe to eat the sweets. No one else had touched them either for obvious reasons. I'm sure the resounding answer will be yes but, just to check - that's a weird thing to do, right??

Sometimes sick people spike sausages and leave them for dogs. I think it's misguided to leave food lying around like that. But then at haloween people give out sweets.

I can't help but think of the novichock poisoning where someone thought they'd found perfume.

I am great fun at parties, thanks, and throw amazing ones - always without any rock painting activities for my guests. Hiding rocks on a shelf in the local spar for minimum wage staff to deal with is not my idea fun.

I've just looked up Random Acts of Crochet Kindness and it is so cute!

Genuinely want to learn how to crochet now.

Does anyone remember the university professor that was hiding cameras in women's homes then blackmailing them? I'm sure I read that the police discovered he had been on the dark web discussing how to give sweets to kids that been contaminated with semen and urine. I'd be very suspicious of random sweets left outdoors.

@Prescottdanni123 I have seen some adorable crochet creations that people leave as these Random Acts.
The issue is leaving them outside means they either get wet and soggy or people put them in a plastic bag to keep them dry - but wild animals like foxes, squirrels, birds will chew and pick at the plastic which is dangerous for them if they eat it or bad for the environment in general.
It’s a shame because most of the little crochet things probably end up in the bin because they have gone soggy and manky.

*the sweets were contaminated, not the kids.

@Needmorelego

I've seen some that were left in libraries or cafes so if I do one day join in with this I would probably do that. I agree that plastic bags are a bad idea where wildlife is concerned.

Just remembered an incident a while ago where several school girls (secondary school) had to be taken to hospital because one of their class mates had been handing out sweets that were laced with something.

Even if someone left sweets in good faith, there is a chance that someone could come along and tamper with them.

@Prescottdanni123 yes leaving indoors is much more sensible. We have loads of those community bookshelves where I live. They are mostly inside railway station waiting rooms or supermarkets. Makes much more sense to leave stuff there - rather than outdoors.
I wish I could crochet too. I’ve tried - I just couldn’t get it 😕

I know an Usbourne book seller locally leaves presents of wrapped books in different places. Sweets though would also make me suspicious although I’m sure the sentiment behind it is a kind one.

Do it!
I picked up a kit by Wee Woolly Wonderfuls and learnt in a weekend.

Ew. Thats disgusting

If finding painted rocks enchanting counts as "fun" in your book, I imagine we attend very different parties. Thankfully.

My dc, nieces and nephews love finding painted rocks and re-hiding them. Ditto geocaching. If you don't get any joy from it, perhaps don't do it?

Why does everything on MN descend into personal attacks?

It's a bit odd, but as long as it's done anonymously and not as part of some virtue signalling internet look at me being kind, it's quite nice. Id eat the sweets.

Insinuating you must be tedious to encounter at parties because you don't get the painted rock thing is a bit ridiculous, don't you think?

Like I said above, it's not either/or. We are very fortunate that our local food bank is still going strong, as is our community fridge.

And I was referring to toys being left out in the park, with notes/signs explaining why they're there. There are no sweets to my knowledge. There is a book library in the phone box next to the park as well. And painted rocks around the village. And geocaching.

I'll reiterate my two points:

Some people like painted rocks. That's it. Tells you only that those people like painted rocks. IME, it's the children I know who enjoy them.

I don't like the personal attacks in any direction and no I don't want to join in with them.

Painted rocks in the park is a sweet idea and the local kids love it. It is safe, only people who want them interact and they don’t end up as litter.

Whilst it might be well intentioned, sweets or random toys in a public place is not great.

@HarrietJet

We have food banks, clothing banks, baby item banks, Christmas gift donation schemes, soup kitchens, all manner of different fundrasiers etc etc here in the UK.

We also do random acts of kindness like hiding knitted toys for people to find. Because things like that are fun and can really cheer a person up.

As someone else has pointed out, it is not a one or the other situation. We can do both.

I'm not asking you to join in! I didn't ask for a sanctimonious telling off either; I was responding to a poster who made a (imo) fairly ridiculous and unjustified comment, not you.

I think food is a bit weird
I live on a road that leads to the beach I leave buckets and spades and such that my kids have outgrown as well as some that people leave throughout the year
always gratefully received

People were putting little knitted angels on walls at Christmas during lockdown, I thought that was quite sweet. I think the stone thing is nice as well, I know my friends DD loves them and has also painted some to leave. Sweets and any food is not a good idea at all.

I wasn't actually intending to be sanctimonious or addressing you with my comment about personal attacks. They're ubiquitous on AIBU.