I love trick or treat. There is a subsidized housing complex not far from us and we get a large number of children who are quite possibly enjoying their very first trick or treat in the US. Quite a few teen parents as well. If you walk up my driveway, you get candy. Lots of it.
Up until a year or 3 ago, we used to give out full sized candy bars (until too many were jumping into my mouth before Halloween) And, when the dads brought their little ones, we’d often offer a beer (we don’t drink it so it sits in the fridge). We also offer water bottles. We were a popular house, even though we are up a bit of an incline.
We live in the country. No sidewalks so no Trick or Treat. There’s an organized day in “town” this Sunday. Donuts ad cider with costume judging in the park and a parade. It was fun and I miss it a bit. Our last home was in a predominantly observant Jewish neighborhood, so no T or T there either.
Awwww, that brought unexpected pricks of tears to me eyes. Halloween used to be an EVENT at our house. Now that my kids are older I drag out the giant pumpkin to the porch and that is about it. My oldest daughter did tell me that she decorated her college rental house with “the best web in in the neighborhood” so thankfully I have passed the Halloween gene to one of my children.
When my kids were older they dressed for Halloween and went door to door and collected can goods for school service projects. They got to dress up, got a little candy, got service hours and had a good reason to be out with the little kids.
Take advantage of great opportunity to see many costumes by walking streets at Halloween. Leave the house dark, no outside lights and walk and have fun. You do not need to ask for candy, it is great fun without!
We do it every year. We are back at home when everybody else goes home. No frustration, looking forward to have another entertaining experience! I also do not believe in pushing candies on anybody and that is what Halloween does. With many in our family died from complications of Diabetes on both sides and having a sweet tooth myself, walking makes much more sense to me.
We were invited to a party on Halloween (across town) but had to decline because we always, always give out candy. Not giving it out is, IMO, mean-spirited.
http://m.host.madison.com/freakfest/photos/
UW-Madison has Freak fest (click on link and scroll down for pictures of costumed adults from years past. Group costumes are fun - see the gaggle of college students each dressed as an orange traffic cone) which includes live music and tens of thousands of students and locals of all ages parading up and down State Street in costume.
we don’t get many due to hill, but in the rest of our 'hood, carloads of kids get dumped off, as many houses go all out in decorations and are known to give great goodies. A safety officer is hired for the one big intersection, and kids are basically free to walk in streets for about a 5 block square area. Great fun. And lots of teenagers, with and without costumes. Would love to have some visit us! What some neighbors have complained about recently is the amount of parents (no costumes) with kids, that thrust their own bags out, expecting candy just like the kids.
For a week after Halloween, our local orthodontist (lives, works here) also offers to buy back candy from kids, $1 per pound. It’s surprisingly a costly deal for him!
We’ve never had a trick or treater in the 20 years we’ve lived in this house. For years, I’d buy a variety of full sized bars and wait, to no end. Didn’t matter if we had all the lights on, pumpkins blazing.
Heck, they didn’t come even when I was a chocolatier!
I wish adults could trick or treat. Honestly, I love Halloween - it’s one of my favorite holidays, but I can’t stand most of the ‘adult’ activities associated with it. I don’t care about the candy, but I love the process.
I love this thread! I am getting inspired to get pumpkins carved. Our fall has been so warm that I didn’t want to carve too early for fear that they would rot. I used to carve 6 or 8 with neat patterns and stuff way back before they had books for this. My sister and nephews would come (they live on long road in semi-country) and we’d get pizza and it would be a whole thing. DH and BIL would drink beer and hand out candy while sister, dog kids and I would go out in the neighborhood. The dog LOVED to dress up and would poke her head between all the kids to get to the door. He often got treats before the kids. He was in heaven going door to door and everyone would pet him and give him a snack! Our current dog also dresses up to answer the door and the kids love it. She is a giant breed so it creates quite an impression.
This has been brought up before but we live in a place where people just trick or treat whenever they want rain or wind or clear - no schedules or hours or different days. We started getting little kids about 5pm and usually the last of the stragglers come by 9pm. I generally turn out the lights at 9:30.
rummaging around in the dress up bin to find a costume
Love it, saintfan! Our dogs are very interested but don’t greet at the door. One year I bought sabadog a lion mane (he’s a yellow lab) but he wouldn’t wear it for long, sadly. He definitely resembled Mufasa for a few minutes, at least!
“To me, Halloween is for kids who are young enough to be thrilled by 1) being out on the street after dark, 2) wearing costumes, and 3) having neighbors and even total strangers handing them treats. None of that applies to teenagers.”
Why wouldn’t those things apply to teenagers??? That IS Halloween! No wonder teens are confused - we sent a message that they need to grow up (and not be like small children) but when they want to act older, we chastise for that as well. As an adult, I HOPE that I always have the thrill of “feeling like a kid” until I take my last breath.
“Please stay a child somewhere in your heart.” - Lyrics from Original of The Species, U2
Last year our dog was a wizzard - conveniently the kids dress up stuff fits her. I should pull out the Jedi costumes that I made many many years ago in a land far far away, to see if it might fit.
Our previous dog was with us when the kids were elementary age so got to go to the bus stop and to school for pick up. He had a Clifford-like presence. This dog doesn’t get to be around little kids so much and she is thrilled to have them coming to the door to pet her.
One year our son, a ginger, was Ron - D with long messy hair was Hermione and their dark haired friend was Harry. Another year S wore a fake beard and was Gimli while sister was Legolas. I found some size 5 Bandolino boots at Goodwill for her and leather satchels for a buck or two for both. S was a great Joker in middle school. I found a bright purple 80s women’s blazer with boxy shoulder pads and purple pants. It was epic. He stood his red hair on end with gel and had the face makeup to go.
The kids always got around the no weapons policy at school by having a plastic scabbard or quiver on a belt but no actual arrows or swords in it. Thankfully our school didn’t decide that wands counted as weapons 
“To me, Halloween is for kids who are young enough to be thrilled by 1) being out on the street after dark, 2) wearing costumes, and 3) having neighbors and even total strangers handing them treats.”
^^^I am in my 20’s, and that sure applies to me!
Sabadog’s predecessor was a huge fan of children. We would see children on our walks regularly. One day a young boy recently arrived to the U.S. greeted him; H told the dog to sit, which he did. In perfect seriousness, the boy said “He has very good English.” Sabadog and Sabapup are a bit more enthusiastic and not as good with their English.
I have to wait until closer to the holiday to buy candy. Otherwise I’d be eating too much myself!