How many Trick or Treaters did you get?

[bijoux22]

I expected about 110 children ringing our bell tonight but only got about 70. Yikes! Lots of leftover candy to tempt me. I think I will bring it to work for the others to be tempted.

[Beth]

We only had about half of what I expected too, and most of them were at least 10 years old. I really missed the small kids. Was it the midweek night, church activities, or are people giving up on Halloween?

[Vanessa]

I just asked my husband "where are the kids this Halloween?" Little ones came by but not even 1/3 of the ones expected came... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif

[BethR]

We had a similar experience. Just moved into this neighborhood in the spring and were told to expect huge numbers of kids! We had some, but not nearly as many as we expected. We have SO MUCH candy left over!

[Laura B]

I only got FOUR!

[neci]

I worked until about 6pm today. I expected to see a lot of children out, but I didn't see anyone. I think most parents today take their children to Halloween parties or other special events. I think parents feel it's safer that way instead going house to house.

I think that's kind of sad. We had so much fun when I was a kid.

[Ed]

Hi,

The weather here tonight is just great, it was in the high 60's when the kids were out Tricken & Treating.

We had well over a hundred kids at our door this evening. It sure is fun to see all those little trick & treaters.

Sharon is the main candy giver here at our place. She sure enjoys talking with the little ones when she is putting the goodies in their bags for them.

Our Dog Katie really enjoys it when the kids are here for halloween too. She likes kids and they all treat her pretty well. So when they come here, they get their treats, they get to pet a friendly Dog, and they give a couple of old Grandparents a smile.

When we saw all those Trick & Treaters tonight it brought back fond memories of when our kids used to go Trick & Treating.

Ed

[Peggy]

We had over 125 kids. I only know that because I knew how many pieces of candy I bought. This just wasn't our neighborhood kids. They bring kids by the van full into our neighborhood... It's kind of weird if you ask me. The parents stay in the van with the motor running while the pack of kids runs from door to door. Seems like a waste of gas just to make sure your kids get as much candy as possible...Higher dentist bills...Whatever!

Happy Halloween!

Peggy

[56grapeape]

I had to work, so dh took dd out w/sil, so no one was ever home, our pumpkins werent even lit! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif
so now, we have 2 4 lb bags of mixed candy! :eek

who will eat it all? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

(we just moved here, in a tons of apts, so we expected LOTS of kids, but dh went w/sil instead! ugh)

rachelle ~:0)

[Mamasue]

We only had 7 children....so I gave out double the candy. No one on the street had their lights on and there wasn't the number of children that we usually get. We have a Halloween parade and trick or treating in the downtown area of our city the Sunday before, the school had some affair and the mall had something going on too. It won't be long, the fun of Trick or Treating will be lost just like May Day. I use to love May Day when I was a kind. Mom would make all the baskets from crepe paper and dixie cups, fill them with candy and I would deliver to my friends. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Oh, well....bringing the candy into work...the big kids will eat it! Hehe http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Mamasue (edited 11-01-2000).]

[Zinnia]

Believe it or not, we had exactly the right number because there were only 2 peices left; a starburst, & skittles. My house was one of the only ones on my block that was decorated so thats probably why, but I loved it. My teenage kids are so embarassed nowadays-I TOTALLY get into all of the holidays with lots of lights & decorations inside and outside of the house. I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Zinnia

[jjf]

we had about 1/2 of what we expected too-around 50. we were so dissappointed because we love checking out all of the costumes. it was quite chilly where we live - low 40s - but my husband grew up in this area and said that would have never stopped him. maybe you guys are right - mid week could have been the reason.

jen

[emilycat]

I didn't get a SINGLE ONE! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif Granted, I live in an apartment complex, but I also did when I was in school in Chapel Hill last year, and we got so many that we ran out of candy! And it's a college town! My bag of chocolates are going to the office today...

[MrsReber]

We made out quite well. Around 7:30, we thought we might even run out of candy, but we did have some left. Not a lot, just the right amount to make my husband happy. No peanut butter cups, but that's probably a good thing http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif!

My husband likes to joke with the kids. We answered the door together most times so he could do his Adam Sandler bit about being "a crazy man with one arm! No gimme some candy!". Then his mother showed up dressed in black from head to toe with a mask over her face! We had no idea who she was, but she kept motioning that she wanted a beer. Crazy lady. She eventually had to take her mask off so we'd know who she was! She's rather tall (almost 6 feet) so we didn't know if it was a man or woman. She loves Halloween! She got us good this year

The last bunch of kids we got was at 8:45. I thought that was a bit late, actually.

[Beth H]

We only had about 10 kids. Trick or treating was so much fun when I was growing up. I think that planned events at the mall and other neighborhood centers have really taken away from the tradition.

[AndreaU]

Here's the math: started with about 200+ pieces of candy. My husband and I ate several pieces in advance (quality control, of course!) and ended up with about 40 pieces remaining. So my guess is we had at least 150 trick or treaters. We expected more based on the last 4 years we've lived here- we've nearly run out every time. Why do you think many of us had fewer visitors this year? Is it because Halloween was on a weeknight? Anyway, hope everyone had a great night. Don't eat all the leftovers at once!

[emilycat]

My guess is that, as many of you have already suggested, mall and school events, as well as parties, have started to take over tradition...Halloween is sometimes perceived as "unsafe"...such a shame, because it used to be so much fun! Kids are growing up so much faster, too -- I don't think either of my younger siblings went this year, and my brother's only in 7th grade! He'd probably rather play some Halloween game in one of his chat rooms than dress up and get candy.

[Susann]

I had all of 2. Would anyone care for some Snickers http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif?

[emilycat]

Susann,
You and I are both from Dunwoody...I wonder if it's just not "cool" to trick or treat here anymore http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif

[lindrusso]

Well, according to the number of pieces of candy we went through (about 13 pounds), I'd estimate about 350-400 kids!!!! And that's with the town giving out candy at our town square at the same time! But the kids know that our neighborhood gives out the "good stuff".

To put this in perspective, this was only from 5 - 6:15. Our trick or treating goes until 7:00, so I had to close the door early and turn off the lights! Wow, I knew we got a lot of kids, but I didn't realize how many!

Our town is very rural and all the kids come to our neighborhood - it's got sidewalks and houses closer together. They come in cars and DRIVE around the neighborhood getting candy. Very annoying because it makes it unsafe for those of us doing it the old-fashioned way - WALKING.

I did get kind of scroogey last night as we had a lot of high school aged kids and even adults holding out a bucket! But I'm too wimpy to say anything. I think I'll try the strategy mentioned here before and hand out the yucky stuff to the older folks next year! But then again, I don't want to get "tricked"!

[Wendy w]

I had quite a few of them (maybe 50, more than last year), but only half of my candy is gone. I should have given larger handfuls. My saving grace is that I bought tootsie rolls, which I can't stand and everyone else likes!

Wendy

[slknight]

We had about 12 kids. Of course it was 40 degrees and raining, so I don't think that helped the turnout. I did drive up the street to do an errand and saw many kids a few blocks away, but we live across a busy street, and not many people bother to cross it. They all stay on the other side.

emilycat- Did you go to UNC? I did, and I remember Franklin Street being a blast on Halloween.

[carolyn.1]

The community that I live in is in a rural area. We are about 15 miles from the nearest town. We have no street lights and its about 3 acres between each lot. It is very, very dark and scary out here at night. Not real good conditions for little ghosts & goblins. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif So this past Saturday we (community) had a pig roast (BBQ) at our community landing. Which included chickens, hot dogs, hambugers, plenty of candy, etc.Then when it starts to get dark we have a hay ride for the little grimlins. It is such fun and the grown ups get to visit and the kids have so much fun!!!BTW my husband is the cook. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif
Carolyn--

[ML]

The neighborhood next to our apartments (we move into our new house next week!!!!) was wonderful. There were children everywhere! The older kids made a huge chinese dragon- 20 feet probably- and were going up and down the streets. And there were children everywhere- it was great!!!

[HARRYET]

we didn't have nearly the turn out that we ususally have. Literaly we have sidewalk to sidewalk full of kids, but not this year, it was very sad. If we had 75 kids we were lucky. I HAD so much leftover candy, but my kids took care of that, when they got home they packed their treat bags with my leftover. Now if I can just find were they hid it for say a little treat for myself I'd be happy!

[Susann]

Emily-you may be right-the 2 trick-or-treaters who did show up were like 14!! Although my sister also lives in Dunwoody and she said they had a ton of trick or treaters!!

[kentgirl]

I usually buy two huge bags of candy at Costco, and I always ran out of candy. This year, I barely went through half a bag! We used to get trick-or-treaters until about 10:00. Last night, they stopped coming at 8:00. Don't know what happened.....maybe parents are taking their kids to the Halloween parties at churches and schools instead.

[sneezles]

When we lived in the city, we'd get them in droves, lots of kids from surrounding apts...even the parents had bags!! This was our first "country" expirence...only 3 and only because I had asked them to stop by. But my teengers will do well by the left overs!

[Abby]

We had very few, too - maybe 40. The thing that astounded me though was that most of them were dressed up like dead people! I had a dead bride, dead cheerleaders, etc. We hardly had any little kids, either. I was pretty disappointed.

[emilycat]

slknight,
Yes! I did go to UNC -- I actually just graduated in May. You're right; Franklin Street is probably the ultimate in Halloween celebrations. It's so popular now, that people from hundreds of miles away have been driving to come to the big "street party" (we were listed last year on the MTV website as one of the top places to be on Oct. 31.). The police even closed the streets off around 5:00 this year, and there are so many people that it can take an hour to walk from one end of the street to the other! When were you in school there?

[Liane]

We live in a neighborhood with tons of kids so the block organizes a block party every year. They rent a bounce house and appoint someone the DJ (we do this for New Year's too). Everyone hangs outside with their candy (it doesn't hurt that we live in Florida) and brings a dish of some sort for the adults. This year I came home from work and had dinner first and learned a valuable lesson. The doorbell rang with trick or treaters and I got up to get the door. It was our neighbor's kids so I called my husband to see their costumes. When we went back in to clean up, it took me a moment to notice the three leftover pieces of chicken breast were missing and my golden retriever was looking very guilty!