No Halloween for me this year

**Lora88** · 09-17-2009, 03:09 PM

For the first time in over 36 years I wont be doing Halloween. Dh and I usually go out for all the holidays Decorating and celebrating however that is about to change. I live in a very large development that consists of Apts. Condos townhouses and single family homes their are literally thousands of residents in this development. I always gave out alot of candy for the trick or treaters mainly because I enjoyed seeing the little ones in their customes and because I had 4 kids and I figured I would pay it forward, My youngest is now 20 and I figured I have paid back. It has become very costly but even more than the cost is there seem to be fewer and fewer little ones and by that I mean kids up to age of 12 or so. I now get literally a hundred Teenagers and even adults without kids in tow knocking on the door for free candy. I have noticed this the last few years and quite honestly feel used. For crying out loud your grown up go buy your own candy. Maybe I have lost the spirit of giving but this year I am locking the door shutting the lights and hibernating in the downstairs TV room with dh and the dogs but part of me is sad that another tradition I looked forward to is gone.

**mrsfoamy** · 09-17-2009, 04:40 PM

Yes, the Halloween of our childhoods would be hard for today's kids to wrap their heads around. As for those grown ups

**vickilynn** · 09-17-2009, 04:59 PM

most the parents in our area take their children to the mall to get the candy...safer than the unknown. Even in a nice neighborhood there could be danger. I haven't done this holiday for years.......

**Rhiamon** · 09-17-2009, 05:13 PM

That is awful that it has come to that.

**Libby** · 09-17-2009, 05:35 PM

Lora you can do what I've done in the past...suggest a casual dinner over at a friends house that has younger children. This way you can 'help' hand out candies and get your 'fix'

Offer to bring over some wine to go with dinner and a bag of candy or two to contribute. Enjoyable and wont put your beyond your budget.

**Grainlady** · 09-17-2009, 06:22 PM

I'm with you, things have gotten crazy the last few years.... And this year will be even worse because Halloween is on Saturday! The children have so many opportunities to trick & treat - the mall has a big deal, downtown businesses give out all kinds of things starting at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the local collage has a haunted house and all kinds of treats....

I still like to see the kidos, but it's the teenage "thugs" in their street clothing (which CAN be scary) and the beyond comprehension adults that cause me distress. Then there are the out-of-county vehicles off-loading as many kids as each car can hold.....

I'm giving out pencils and erasers for school-age children, and I have packets of animal crackers for toddlers and pre-schoolers. When the treats are gone, the lights go out and the door gets locked. First come, first served.

**Sassyclass** · 09-17-2009, 06:26 PM

We don't get trick or treaters anymore. It seems most towns now hold trick or treating around 5pm-7pm. How can that be fun for kids? We live in the country and the Fire Department holds a small party for the kids. The last time I had trick or treaters I lived in Indiana and that was over 12 years ago.

Cat

**shoiji** · 09-17-2009, 06:33 PM

I also enjoy seeing the little kids all dressed up. Unfortunately things just are not the way it used to be. I am in an apartment complex and only get 10 at the most. If I were in the situation you are in I definately would be doing the same thing.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 09-17-2009, 07:20 PM

We get a lot of smaller kids in our neighborhood, but it does bother me when there are babies in strollers that are getting candy. They don't even have teeth yet and they're looking for chocolate bars. We get like two bags of candy and hand them out, then when it's done we shut off the lights. I was tempted to get a standing figure that would hold the candy bowl and when a kid put their hand in it, it would move and scare them.

**Monner 1** · 09-17-2009, 07:51 PM

That is one thing I don't have to deal with because we live out in the country and nobody dares walk on our road since cars just about fly. I do love Halloween and I have a ton of decorations but I only have put up a few things for fall and Halloween this year. I am in the frame of mind that more is less right now.

Monner

**Contrary Housewife** · 09-17-2009, 08:00 PM

We used to get a few, but most kids on our street ( and there are not many) are too old to be out now. And we would get a lot of kids who definitely did not live around here. Two years ago it just stopped. I guess too many people just don't know their neighbors any more and are afraid to take their kids out. There's a lot of sponsored indoor events these days.

Last year it wasn't even held on the 31st. I found out it was "officially celebrated" the weekend before.

**mauimagic** · 09-17-2009, 08:21 PM

In the 28 years we have lived in our townhouse - we have had 2 trick or treaters!! Lahaina is well know for its in town Halloween celebration and we are hard to find.

I remember so fondly and with so much vivid detail the old days of Halloween - and Beggars' Night, the night before in Massachusetts!! Just plain fun on usually, cold, cold nights!!

**Texasgirl** · 09-18-2009, 12:45 AM

When we lived in Houston I used to love to decorate the front porch area and wait for the kids.

Since moving to the country we got rid of most of our decorations since no one comes around.

**PinkWolf** · 09-18-2009, 01:11 AM

I use to pass out candy every Halloween but there are no trick-or-treaters anymore. So my fiance & I end up eating the candy. lol But we have stopped celebrating Halloween altogether since we found out the real meaning behind the holiday (we're Christian).

**frugalfranny** · 09-18-2009, 02:46 AM

I haven't had ANY trick or treaters for probably four years.

Lots of activites here that give out goodies and that is where the parents take their kids. Safer too. The town usually has at least one incident where some weirdo decides to put a razor blade in an apple or some such crazy thing!

I just stay home and get ready for the AFTER HALLOWEEN candy sales!!!! YYYIIIPPPEEEEE.........snickers bars on the cheap!