I haven’t the last 3 years. We have a huge neighborhood, but I’m not on a main street. We used to get 30 to 70 kids, depending on the weather. I just don’t enjoy it anymore and have quit turning the light on, plus I hate having all that candy left over. I feel like a curmudgeon.
Yep, I’m all ready. We have a ton of kids in our neighbourhood and we rarely have much, if any, candy leftover. I enjoy seeing the kids in costume.
I don’t. We live in the country now -so even if I wanted to it would be doubtful that I would get any.
Before we moved we were in a large suburban subdivision and got loads. It wasn’t nearly as fun when when our kids aged up and we quit getting kids we knew. I do like seeing the little ones -but candy is pricey.
I stopped many years ago. Our house is at the end of a long dirt driveway and even way back when, the only people who would come were mutual friends with children the same age. Once my own kids were past T&T age, I started shutting off the lights. Prior to that there would be the occasional stragler from the main road. Especially this year with so many trees and branches down, it would be dangerous for anyone to walk the driveway to the house.
Yes, we participate. We get lots of kids. It’s fun to see the little ones at the beginning of the evening, so I’m going to be sure to get home from work on the early side.
Yup. We used to do more decorating and give out bigger candy bars, but we still love to see the costumes and the little kids in the neighborhood!
Ths may well be our last year. There are fewer kids in the neighborhood than when my kids were trick or treating, but there are more kids than have shown up the past 2 years. If we get the 3-5 kids we got last year, this will be it for us.
I put up my Halloween flag a few weeks ago, so everyone in the neighborhood has seen that. we also have a street party at 5:30. I don’t decorate inside like I used to, nor do I dress up anymore. I enjoy that when the old timers, like me, move away, the houses are bought by young couples.
Definitely do, in fact scheduled a trip around so we don’t miss it. I don’t decorate and carve pumpkins anymore but I do give out candy - big candy. We live at the top of a big hill. We give out movie size/king sized candy. We don’t get a ton, maybe 30-40. The candy is my only expense related to the holiday and seeing the kids get such a kick out of it is fun. They are always polite and appreciative. I miss the days when I knew many of the kids because they were friends and classmates of my own. Back then we got bigger numbers, more like 80 trick or treaters.
Yes! I celebrate what my kids call “Old Lady Halloween”. I give out movie theater size candy plus flashing light up rings. The kids get soooo excited. I don’t have to spend money on costumes for my kids anymore so spending money on this is my true pleasure.
I do. I tend to get a lot of very young kids and get a kick out of seeing them. They reach in the candy basket and take exactly one candy, and I always have to tell them to take more!
This year I am not. Going to keep the lights off and didn’t buy anything to give out. The last couple of years I was prepared and then disappointed when nobody came so I figure this is better.
Absolutely! Love to see the kids and their parents and give out candy. Going home early from work to do so. I really miss the days of the Halloween parade at school, Halloween parties for adults and kids, and going trick or treating. We had a few lean years in terms of the number of kids coming by, but last year it was up again. I will bring the leftovers to work or give it to my son at Thanksgiving to take back to college.
I buy special treats for the kids on my cul de sac, but give fun size treats to everyone else. I hope the “on the block” kids come early (we start around 5:30) because I want to turn my light off by around 7 or a little after. If the weather is good, I generally get about 80-100 kids.
Used to get a ton of kids in our old neighborhood and I’d always decorate and dress up. I always loved it.
Now we’re more isolated and don’t get anybody at all. So sad. I miss it.
I’d give up just about any other holiday to keep Halloween. Love the spirit of it! I light up the house at 6pm - turning a light on in every room, putting the porch lights on, etc. so that kids know “HALLOWEEN IS HERE!!” I think kids like to see that the giver enjoys the holiday as well!
For me, keeping the lights off and “hiding” in the house would be super awkward.
As your kids grow, adjust your routine so you can still enjoy the holiday (if you did when the kids were home). It’s another bridge to cross as a more mature parent! My kids would be shocked and sad if I stopped the Halloween tradition - it’s another way to “carry on” after you don’t have home based trick or treaters!
D is here in town, and will come over tonight to pass out candy and other treats with me. Still need to carve my pumpkin. Hope I can find pretzels or something not sweet to go with candy. I have learned to buy the day of only, otherwise candy tends to pull at my willpower, or the lack of it. I also miss the baking, the party my girls would host, and dressing up at school. Years ago I made them some spectacular capes, and will haul those out to wear tonight.
We live in a large subdivision with many young families. I just can’t imagine not participating in trick or treat here. We usually get 100+ kids. In addition to the kids trick or treating there will be several block parties that are more for adults (evidently jello shots are a Halloween thing). I don’t go all out in decorating any more but will carve a pumpkin today.
Yes. In the good old days, I’d start abut 6:30 and get 80-100 kids. Things got out of control–minor vandalism in the hallways, etc., so now you can only get into my apartment building if you come with someone in the apartment building accompanied by a resident adult. So, last year I only got about 35.
The kids get a list of participating apartments and can only ring those bells. It stops at 9 pm. Very civilized but the old days were more fun!
However, now I often get children whose parents grew up in the building or at least the neighborhood. I knew mom & dad when they were little. That part really is fun.
I live in a small town where houses are on large lots and far apart; all the trick or treaters go to the town common, where the homes are close to one another. The folks living there usually go all out for Halloween–one family even has a scary barn that kids can walk through. It is also right next to a very old cemetery (circa1700s).
Halloween is a real community event. People from town donate candy and drop it at the police station where volunteers (usually high school kids) deliver it to the houses on the Common. There is store on the Common that is open on Halloween and the owners give free hot chocolate. My kids loved Halloween growing up and think of it fondly. For the last few years, I’ve handed out candy with a friend who lives on the Common. Looking forward to helping her again tonight.