Originally Posted By davewasbaloo To right Iamsally. I gave all adults a treat, and adults in costume got two. And with our group, all of us were in costume - we were offered a beer!
Originally Posted By mickeymeg We were all dressed up as Alice in Wonderland characters and went trick or treating with friends in their neighbourhood. There seemed to be lots of kids out. We left my Mum at home to give out candy at our place though there were not nearly as many as we hoped for. Sometime after 10ish when we went to bed someone kicked in one of our pumpkins and one is missing all together. I am disappointed, angry and annoyed that someone would do this. It was Kairi's first year carving a pumpkin 'all on her own' and she was very proud of her creation and some punk stole it and kicked the crap out of Mama's pumpkin. Not nice to have to deal with those tears this morning. Also I hate the idea of someone creeping about on our front steps at that time of night. Why do some people feel the need to spoil it for others.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Rsey made a good point. We had a number of "community" events this year. At least two shopping plazas did their own trick or treating with bounce houses and entertainment. The City put on an event with police and fire apparatus, helicopters, candy and bounce houses. And, by and large, there isn't much comradarie in my neighborhood. All of those things (and a school night) probably led to a smaller crowd.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 I must commend the trick r treaters that came to my sisters neighborhood. I would say at least 99% of them said please and thank you. Just some delightful young people.
Originally Posted By DyGDisney >>>It was Kairi's first year carving a pumpkin 'all on her own' and she was very proud of her creation and some punk stole it and kicked the crap out of Mama's pumpkin.<<< This happened to my daughter the first year we lived on our street, she was 4 at the time. I am not a big fan of Halloween for that exact reason. It's funny, I don't like July 4th much either because people use it as an excuse to shoot off illegal fireworks and firecrackers 'til all hours of the night. I'm always happy when those holidays are over. :/
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I had quite a few trick-or-treaters this year. It was a lot of fun. Had a few very small children, some in strollers. Obviously first timers as the Moms were pushing the strollers and the Dads were taking pictures of the kids getting candy. I had to stoop real low to give the kids the chance to pick which candy they wanted. The choices were all peanut butter cups and almond joys. I live in a cul-de-sac and all the neighbors in the cul-de-sac set up a table and sit out there so the kids don't have to go up to each house seperately. We put all these bowls of candy out and let the kids take from each. One child was obviously disappointed and kept telling him Mom he wanted to "go in that house", pointing to my home... So that was kinda funny. I had a great time talking with my neighbors last night. It was a lot of fun! I also didn't eat one piece of candy as I had a full bin of peppermint bark back in the house!
Originally Posted By oc_dean >>How sad that this tradition is dying.<< I think it's going to be "up and down" year to year, from one neighborhood to the next. From one city to the next. From one state to the next. Have to also account for ... If one particular neighborhood has a steady set of neighbors for decades. Those children eventually grow up ... and don't do trick-or-treating anymore. Once a particular family's kids grow up ... and are done having children ... you are naturally going to see a decline. Happened in my own neighborhood. I came in at the right time. Heavy with us "Baby Boomer" kids in the late 60s to 70s. Decline by the 80s. Over time, those parents have moved on to their new "retirement" places. New families bought into those houses ... Now .. a surge. I don't see any OVER-ALL decline. If anything .. this tradition us Americans really took to .. is growing in other countries. Particularly here in Australia. Just north of Sydney .. where the suburbs are beginning to get into the act!! And I predict will continue to pick up .. as years go by.
Originally Posted By iamsally I just loved Halloween in Hawaii. It was nice and warm out and most people would set in their yards and talk and there would be a bowl of candy on hand. Some would have a bbq going. Just a really neat neighborhood time.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip We live in a neighborhood with a lot of young families... we probably had 50-60 kids come to our door. I always take our pumpkin in about 8:30 PM after having one stolen years ago... after that time it is primarily older kids out who might mess with it. Usually shut off the porch light at about 9 PM or so.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Apparently a growing trend here in Georgia is Tick-or-tail! Apparently a lot of people drive to a church parking lot and everyone has a tailgate party with the trick-or-treaters going from one car to car. I had never heard of this until this year. Really odd! But it is definately going on.
Originally Posted By chickapin ^^we had that at our church--they called it "trunk or treat" and it was fun.
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 25 years ago when our neighborhood was new and full of little kids we would have 100-150 trick or treaters. I think we have 4 kids that live in our area now. We were thrilled to get 10!!!! trick or treaters this year The outlets had trick or treating, the shopping center had trick or treating, downtown stores had trick or treating and we have 2 streets near downtown that decorate heavily and they get up to 2000 trick or treaters according to one of the people who live on that street. Looooong paragraph as to why the little ones and their parents no longer care to come to our house AND we live on a hill
Originally Posted By Lady Starlight I totally agree with Iamsally about adults dressing up and trick or treating. You're never too old to have fun! They deserve a kudos for continuing the tradition. However.. it's some of the arrogent teen agers that come to the door trick or treating that get me. Theres a few around our neighborhood that are rude and very loud when they come to the doors. To those I give ice cubes. They plunk into thier bags like its somthing good and blends in well with the other candy.. but all they get from it is a soggy spot in thier bags at the end. ( just like those "Messin with Sasquatch" commercials) No messin' with LS or she'll getcha!! ;-)
Originally Posted By iamsally Oh LadyStarlight, that is just too funny. Yes, those teens who show up without a costume and shove a pillow case at you and are too cool to say *trick-or-treat* are pretty low on my list. But a greyhaired old man in a mask (we saw one) is way up there. Everybody we saw gave him candy without a second glance.
Originally Posted By seafairy1622 I took my son trick or treating and there weren't very many kids at all. Half the houses were dark. My son got alot of candy though because people were handing out more candy saying there weren't many kids out.
Originally Posted By iamsally What I really noticed were the old people. (That would be folks like me.) The grey haired old couples would get so excited and ooooo and awweee over the kids. And, give them a whole handful of candy.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom chickapin, you are correct it is called trunk-or-treat. Again, all new to me.
