I’ll be handing out full size Hershey bars tonight! They are a big hit with the kids.
Didn’t mean to turn this into a depressing thread. I am home now 
We still don’t get any trick or treaters but I am usually able to at least see them walking by on the other streets.
If we do get them, they’ll get a lot of full sized candy bars
Hiding in the basement with the dogs while DH gives out candy.
My response wasn’t meant as depressing (or anti-Halloween) either. Nostalgic is more the feeling that comes to mind. We had plenty of years enjoying taking our kids (and sometimes exchange students) out Trick or Treating. But we don’t even get kids coming here, so that’s a phase of life that seems “done” for us at this point in time. It lives in memories.
We give out movie sized boxes of candy and the HUGE bars of chocolate. We live at the top of a hill so it’s my incentive to burn all those calories climbing it. We used to get 60-70 kids back when my own children were younger. The neighborhood has aged somewhat and we only got around 20 last year. Let’s see what this year brings. It’s clear but a little chilly and being a Monday, I’m not expecting many, unfortunately.
It seems that there are so many alternative or additional ways to garner treats now. For us when we were young, it was treats at school and then treats on Halloween night. Now in addition to Halloween night, I hear parents taking their children to multiple trick or treat nights in neighboring suburbs. So if one had “Halloween” on Friday, one on Saturday and one on Sunday - the kids might have already been out 3 times! So maybe they don’t go out for as long as a trek on actual Halloween night.
When my kids were young Halloween was probably the second biggest holiday in my house (after Christmas). We often had parties here with pizza etc. before they went out trick or treating. Lots of their friends came to trick or treat. Now that the kids are grown and out of the house we get far fewer kids coming and the house is quieter. But my D did get her costume with me when she was home so I got to have some fun with her!
I went out this weekend in search of steal pumpkin to put out. Had to settle for blue so I hope it coveys the message. I have Star Wars jelly bellies and also bubbles for anyone allergic. I will look online for a more clearly teal pumpkin for next year.
We always carve a couple of pumpkins and have a few decorations to set out. Our old neighborhood in Illinois could go well over a hundred trick-or-treaters. Here in San Diego last year maybe a dozen. And it is a family neighborhood. DH gets much more excited than I do about the holiday.
On a layover coming back to Paris. I get lots of trick-or-treaters but I will be avoiding them this year after 15+ hours of travel.
I will be home handing out the candy that I still need to buy this afternoon! 
I love Halloween but it’s not the same as it used to be- not a lot of kids around here go door to door anymore. The community center and a lot of the churches do “trunk or treating”. Our neighborhood used to be hopping on Halloween when my older kids were little, but our neighborhood demographics have changed and we have only had a few kids come around the last several years. I’m excited because our cul-de-sac has new families with lots of kids this year. They are closing off the cul-de-sac for a neighborhood party. We are fully decorated and ready go for tonight- a graveyard, hanging soccer-playing skeleton, giant spiders and creepy music. I really love Halloween.
Saturday we went to a party. DH came as the Giant Meteor 2016 https://www.facebook.com/meteor2016/ which is as political I let him get. He’s wearing the costume to the department Happy Hour as well. Big black garbage bag with red streaks, a red mohawk and the bumper sticker. I came as Rosie the Riveter. We live in a neighborhood where trick or treating is a big thing, but 90% of the kids stick to the other side of the busy road, so we don’t get a lot of traffic. But I’ve got a pumpkin (not carved) and some lights and plenty of candy.
I forgot it was Halloween today. We have never been a neighborhood that kids trick or treated in. Houses far apart with most having long driveways or gates. S is borrowing my car so I am stuck at home. When the kids were little we would go to friends who lived in livelier parts of town. Middle school years were okay but by the time high school rolled around I began to dread Halloween as the night that no good happens. I live in a town with a UC that in the past was known as the place in the state to come party. All my kids have reached the stage of life that they don’t do stupid things and I can relax on Halloween night again.
My S and his fiancé get into dressing up and they decorate their yard with great Halloween decor. His fiancé also works at a place that loves to celebrate Halloween so she went to work in costume. I think they will get kids as they live in a traditional neighborhood. One D doesn’t dress up but she likes to do a few front porch decorations. She will have candy ready but last year didn’t get many kids. She is adjacent to a neighborhood that is famous in town for great trick or treating and I think most of the kids go to that area. Most of the merchant associations in different parts of town organize early evening/ late afternoon trick or treating at the stores. I think a lot of parents are more comfortable with that.
We put out two bowls- one of the candy, one with little toys- and a giant sign that says “Please take as many as you want! … and sorry if the dog barks.” I hope we’ll get at least some! We didn’t get to decorate our house because it’s just been too hectic of a month.
We also put out a small singing skeleton that we have. The sign also says they can push the button on him for a song and dance lol.
Oh my gosh, it worked! We’ve had TWO families come by and get candy. Hurrah :D/
@romanigypsyeyes, you’re home! Hope you are feeling better.
It started already? It doesn’t start here until 6:00. I’m ready and hoping with the recent addition of young families in our neighborhood it goes back to the way it used to be when my kids were young. I’m dressed as a witch and expecting my little grandsons any minute now.
Some years we had a decent turnout, but I just texted my wife, she said there has been almost nothing. With the little kids, I think they are doing more halloween parties and such, but it looks like this year will be light again. It is nothing compared to when I was growing up, it would go in waves, little kids in the afternoon with their harried parents, then the older grade school kids, then middle school and even some high school kids, and it would go until 10 or so…now, it pretty much ends by 7 , 7:30. Hopefully our puppies (the surfer dude dog and his hellhound sister), don’t scare the kids away:)
@3bm103 the families with the really little kids usually start around 5:30 and try to finish before the bigger kids come out (~6:30).