How many Trick-or-Treaters did you get last night?

[Mike Nolan]

We got about 35 trick-or-treaters last night, which was down for us, even though we've got a number of younger families on the street these days.

I think it's because it was a weekday, and the fact that it was Monday (ie, a football night) might have been a factor as well. It wasn't as cool as had been forecast, though.

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[BakerAunt]

We had had only three--one solo, and two together. Most of the people on our street leave their lights off, and so only Trick-or-treaters who decide to brave what looks unpromising get here. I hang up a string of pumpkin lights and leave the porch light on. The last two gals squealed with delight when they saw I was giving out Butterfingers.

I had bought two bags of Butterfingers and one of Three Musketeers. That's more candy left over than I would have liked.

[Mike Nolan]

We haven't given away candy in many years. We give away small toys (carnival trinkets), and my wife always buys some small books and other kid-safe items to give away to really young kids.

This started when I bought a case of colored chalk for a few dollars at an office supply auction in late summer about 25 years ago. My wife asked what I planned to do with it, and I said 'Give it away at Halloween!'. We haven't done candy since.

And whatever we don't use one year just goes back on the shelf for next year.

[S_Wirth]

We never have any as we live way out in the country and are down a very long driveway they have to back out of.

We had a little boy probably 15 years ago and that is all we remember. I always have a lot of nice things I could hand out if someone comes. I buy a lot of seasonal items from Oriental Trading that would make nice hand-outs for the kids. Each month of the year, I fix 3-4 boxes or so of pretty seasonal goodies for our local nursing home residents. They appreciate my things so very much. Oriental Trading has the best things I can use to brighten the residents days. For Halloween, I gave them 24 bright orange/white chevron round tubs with a snack cake and a Halloween rubber duckie and a Halloween ghost pencil. So, even though we don't have trick-or-treaters at home, I have lots of fun putting together fun things for my nursing home buddies.

[BakerAunt]

How kind and thoughtful you are Swirth. I did contribute to my church's Harvest Festival the Saturday before Halloween (free for the neighborhood), but instead of candy, I donated Halloween pencils and individual bags of pretzels. I figured that the kids would likely be trick or treating in a few days, and I am concerned about giving out so much sugar at one time of year.

We are unlikely to get trick-or-treaters in the area where we will live next year, because we will be year-rounders in a place that has more of a summer population, and we will not be in town. I may lay in a supply of little toys as Mike and Swirth do, in case any kids make it out that far.

I can pace myself with candy, but my husband cannot. That is why one bag of the Butterfingers are hidden to be doled out now and again. I'm hoping that my stepson and stepdaughter will take some of the candy this weekend.

[Mike Nolan]

Oriental Trading has a retail store in Omaha called Nobbies, we make a trip there every few years to pick up big bags of things for Halloween. (Balls, puzzles, rings, necklaces, dinosaurs, etc.)

Some years pencils go over big, this year they did not.

We also keep on the lookout for toy sales. If we can pick up a dozen Hot Wheels for $5 we'll do that and add it to the stuff on the shelf.

[Mike Nolan]

Nice to see you posting again, Sarah. So many people seem to have disappeared. (Cass, PaddyL, etc.)

[Joan Simpson]

We live out also and we only get one little girl every year.I worked with her mother years ago.She get's all the candy her mom brings her here and to her grandmothers home.

[rottiedogs]

This is the second year in a row we had no trick or treaters. I'm not sure what is different. Last year it was raining but this year the weather was actually nice for trick or treating. I only bought two bags of candy. Most of the Milky Ways and Reeses Peanut Butter cups are going in the freezer.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Mike, what a neat idea to give out small toys and such. Maybe we'll do that next year.

We live on a street that gets loads of traffic (pedestrian and cars- it's kind of scary) from all over. I gave away less candy than usual mostly because I limited how much I bought. I had about 1500 pieces that were gone after 2.5 hours.

Lots of people give away full size or movie theater size candy. Our next door neighbor was out in his driveway with a movie theater candy counter.

Several years ago a man who lived down the street gave out half pound Hershey bars. He had pallets on his driveway and hired kids from the local college to hand out the candy while he watched. He grew up poor and Halloween and Christmas were the only time he ever had candy so he loves to give it out himself. He has since moved a block east. One of these Halloweens I'll have to walk over and see how he is doing.

[luvpyrpom]

I haven't had any trick or treaters here for years. It's pretty dark and raining buckets so everyone takes their kids to the malls for their trick and treating.

Mike, I like your idea of small toys instead of candy. It reminds me that I have to start buying little trinkets and such as I make a huge Saran ball for Christmas to entertain the kids while the adults try to get dinner on the table.

[RiversideLen]

Where I live the streets are narrow and dark and tree lined, we have no street lights except for the occasional gas lamp. And a number of people decorate for Halloween. So it's a neat place for the kids. We didn't get a lot of neighborhood kids, some of course. But then the kids from the surrounding villages and towns come in by the van full. This year wasn't the most but not the worse either. I had a 100 count box of tootsie roll pops which I gave to each little goblin along with some other candy. I gave away all the pops so we had over 100 little tricksters. I kept the Butterfingers and Nestle Crunch bars in reserve and I didn't get into that. All in all, not a bad showing.

[cwcdesign]

Hey Len, Congratulations on your Cubbies!! How does it feel? I know that in 2004, we all felt great for years after the Red Sox won the first one.

We currently live in a condo complex (they're called "villas" - one story connected houses). Will didn't even decorate this year. When I got home from an event at work about 7:30, there were only one or two porch lights on and it appeared that no one had decorated their units at all.

[RiversideLen]

Thank you Cwcdesign! It feels pretty good but I don't know if it's fully sunk in yet. A feeling of relief too because I fully expected this since the start of the baseball season this year. But post season is an unforgiving bumpy road that often takes down the team with the best record. So I was kinda tense throughout it.

[skeptic7]

I live in a quiet subdivision and had perhaps 20 trick or treaters. I gave out several miniature Hershey bars to each one.
I was rooting for Cleveland since it was so long since they had won a series, but I was glad that after more than a century the Cubs won. This was a very hard fought game and I am so glad for the Cubs.

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