Do You Think Trick or Treating is Dying Off?

[Zombie-F]

This is a topic I've seen debated on some of the other Halloween forums I've been to over the years.

Some would argue that since they get less and less Trick or Treaters every year, and therefore it must be a dying custom. I don't think that at all, I just think it's evolved a little since we all did it as children.

Some communities now sponsor daylight Trick or Treating hours, having the event run from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. I think that alot of people may not be home from work yet and thus don't see as many kids coming to their doors.

There's also a new trend that seems to be getting more and more popular with each passing year. It's the trend of parents taking their kids to "better" or wealthier neighborhoods to get candy. This is the result of a baseless paranoia that someone out there is going to try and hurt your children in some way by tampering with their candy.

The rationalization is that the people in the wealthier neighborhoods are less likely to harm your children because they're cut from a finer cloth. Personally, I find the exact opposite to be true. Why would you take your kids away from your neighborhood, away from the people around you that you are more likely to know, and bring them to a foreign place whose inhabitants you know absolutely nothing?

Wouldn't a complete stranger be more likely to harm your child than the people next door? I would think so.

I think the paranoia all stems from a few isolated cases of candy tampering that were not in fact random poisonings. One such case (the case of Ronald Clark O'Bryan) turned out to be a father poisoned his own children's candy in an attempt to get some insurance money to dig himself out of debt. He tried to blame it on the faceless "halloween poisoner", but in the end, all evidence pointed to O'Bryan and he was tried, found guilty, and executed.

So, do you think Trick or Treating is a dissolving practice or one that's just evolving?

[RAXL]

Well, I've had ONE kid in three years, so, yeah. :mad:

[Zombie-F]

In your case Raxl, they fear the alligators. :p

[Sinister]

I would like to see some sort of census or survey of the subject to be carried out nationwide with pointed questions about the practice. Judging from candy, costume and decoration sales, I would say that someone is doing it somewhere. I too think that parents carry their kids to wealthier neighborhoods, but I believe that it may be for a few other reasons besides the candy tampering deal. To wit:

1. Better candy selection. Be truthful: Would you rather go Trick-Or-Treating in an area where it is likely the "good stuff" will be, or would you rather take your chance on a neighborhood you know where all the lights will be out discouraging the kiddies from knocking on doors and ringing bells; and if you do find a house that is receptive to this legalized begging, there's a better than good chance that you'll get those crappy orange and black wrapped Mary Janes, bruised apples or gospel tracts.

2. Some kids get together with other friends way before Halloween night and map out some sort of plan to Trick-or-Treat in whichever of the childrens neighborhoods are likely to bring in the best bounty.

That's my two cents, but I think it may be as accurate an assumption as any. I haven't gotten a single Trick-or-Treater in the seven years I've been here. That may be due to the fact that I don't have one bit of Dale Earnhardt or NASCAR memorabilia on either of my vehicles or around my abode. That just means that there will be no interruption of my yearly Horror Fests and subsequent All Hallows Rock and Roll Beer Bash. :jol: :sick: :zombie:

[Doctorthingit]

I think for the moment trick-or-treating is dying down, I don't think it will ever be killed though. I would like to add to the reasons why trick or treating is getting a bad reputation, that we as a country are also going through a nation-wide dietary re-evaluation. Look at the shit health freaks and soccor moms have been pulling on famous name-brand sugar cereals. Now Frosted Flakes and Fruit Loops are coming in boxes marked X-amount less sugar, carbohydrates, saturated fat (I'm not so sure about that one), cholesterol, and artificial flavoring ingredients. But carb-obsession has died down tremendously, I mean- could you go anywhere in public in all of 2004 and NOT hear the word "carbs" about 20 times?!

We all feel the grief Halloween and horror is getting from conservatives, and the morally outraged dregs of concerned parents. But I honestly believe trick or treating will see more popular years in the future. We just need to stone and flog a few irresponsible public figures who think they're going to change healthy holiday traditions based on a politisocial whim getting a lot of attention due to an overzealous, self-righteous administration.

[Vlad]

We keep getting more and more TOTers every year. I think the quality and quantity of costumes is falling off, but around here the holiday appears to be alive and kicking.

[Doctorthingit]

Come to think of it, I believe I got more trick or treaters in '04 than in '03. I wouldn't bet money on it. But I will always keep buying candy for trick or treaters, in the event they actually do show up. If they don't, hey, more candy for me. :D

[Zombie-F]

One thing is for sure, there was a steep drop off in 2001 due to Halloween having occured not too long after 9/11. I think that each year after that the number of TOTers out on the streets has gone up steadily.

And Vlad's right about costumes. Some of the kids that came to my door weren't wearing any costume at all, some had some really half-assed costumes and painfully few had decent costumes.

[Sinister]

We just need to stone and flog a few irresponsible public figures who think they're going to change healthy holiday traditions based on a politisocial whim getting a lot of attention due to an overzealous, self-righteous administration.

I like the way you think about this, Thingit! :D :devil:

As for Zombie and Vlad's posts, if some little hillbilly bastard came to my door with a camoflage shirt and CAT deisel power cap on, he's going to get what Charlie Brown always got--a fucking rock! :D

[Doctorthingit]

That reminds me of my most rebellious year tot-ing, only like my 2nd or 3rd to last= I was going through my dark, sophisticated, reflective, distinuished, ultra-sensitive, suicide-is-deep, knowitall loner phase. I didn't wear a costume, nor did the friend I went with. He had to drag me the whole way, while I looked at the people at each door as though I wanted to be dead. And did a good job of convincing them I was a basket case.

If you'd have given me a rock that year, I'm sure at first I would have laughed as though I was expecting someone would have a rock waiting for me. After getting home, I would have been upset that I couldn't eat it. But while I was with that particular friend, I'm sure we would have egged your front door. Let me just save time and tell you how sorry I would have been. :zombie: :rolleyes: ;)

[Blackdawn]

There were a few years I pondered this same question. But, in the last couple of years I have really seen a drastic increase in Toter's. I think parent's are just looking for the same Halloween they remembered having and it takes quite a bit to recreate that. The first year I lived on my street we just put out a couple of pumpkins and had a few kids. Then I pulled out the big stuff and every year they have come in droves. The rest of the neigbors have started to pick up the pace and our "middle classs street" has become a community hot spot.

[Forbidden Crypts]

I think that trick or treating as I knew it as a kid is dying off yes. Back in the 1960's if you didn't go trick or treating as a kid then there was something wrong with you or your parents. I still think a big part of it is that the parents of today grew up hearing all these horror stories of kids getting razor blades in their candy apples, etc, etc.. blah, blah, blah. Now that those kids are grown they're too scared to let their kids go trick or treating. Our local Mall has a few hours of trick or treating each Halloween night, and that is where the largest percentage of those kids who Do trick or treating go. Even my Dad, who still lives in the same house where I grew up, only gets about 20 kids now. In my day it was nothing to have 6 bags of candy, and almost run out. People used to drive car loads of kids into neighborhoods like ours from miles away back then. So call it evolving or dispappearing I don't know. One thing I do know is that the old neighborhoods don't see the traffic like they used to.

[The Collector]

I haven't had TOTs for as long as I can remember (of course they could be too scared to make it to the doorbell) Funny thing is I don't see as many out on Halloween as I did when I was out doing the whole trick or treat thing. I don't know so much that it's on a decline, but I think that maybe trick or treating has moved to the more densely populated areas...I live in small town, but I know a lot of people take their kids to the bigger surrounding towns...

[Papa Bones]

I don't know about dying out, but I do think tot is changing. When I was younger, tot was a young kid's activity, only a few teenagers were still doing it. In fact I had a neighbor who would tell anyone who looked over 12 that they were too old for it and refuse to give them anything. My uncle down the street was not quite that bad but at his house the good candy went to the little kids, teenagers got the el cheapo suckers and other stuff nobody wants. I was pretty bummed when I got to be a teenager and was too old to tot anymore... now last year, I only got about 10 trick or treaters and most of them were probably in the mid teens to early twenties, I only remember 2 or 3 little kids. Then again, there was a known drug house just three houses up the street from the house I was renting last year, so maybe parents were keeping the little kids off my street because of that.

[SuFiKitten77]

That might be a good guess .. I don't think I would bring my son to a neighborhood where I know there is a drug house. The area I have gone to the last few years is always packed with kids (and yes, some older kids). But, they are all out before dark and lights are turned off around 9 p.m. So, it's not dying out up here .. just getting earlier :(

[colinsuds]

Luckly i live in a younger community where almost every secoond house has a kid.But eventhough it does seem to be dying off in some places I think the community should take charge and make tot a community event that they can do together and get excited about. for example today I e-mailed my community board suggesting that they host some halloween themed activities such as bes decorated house(which has been done in the community next to us and was a great success) I think its up to us as haunters to go out of control decorating to encourage people around us to do the same!

[Zombie-F]

So, has the trend continued? Was 2005 another year where TOT numbers dropped off? I had the same amount that I had the previous year so I'd have to say that to this point TOTing is staying steady.

However, I do see things like "Trunk or Treat" and other lame ways to make TOTing "safe" starting to take hold. Don't be lazy parents... spend a few hours once a year and take your kids around the neighborhood (or to mine) for some good old trick or treating.

[Sinister]

Interesting to see this thread again. Since I will be living in Colorado this year as opposed to Florida, I will post my observations. It's great that Hella and I both really get into the holiday so we will put forth that effort more to make a successful TOT experience that wasn't there before in the Sunshine State. :jol:

[DeathTouch]

To me Trick or Treating seems to be slacking a little. I think Trick or Treating was designed to be a “Get to know your neighbor” thing in the early years. But these days no one trusts his or her neighbors. It is more like, “you stay on your side, I will stay on mine” type of thing. And it shouldn’t. I think if ToTing is to survive than we need to get back to the old style. When neighbors used to come over for a beer and help when you needed help. I think ToTing is a celebration of “Love thy neighbor.”

I remember when everyone was saying that you have to be carefully because you might find a blade in you candy. Parents were paranoid and had to check their kids candy. But I found out that there were a few that found blades in candy and such, but their neighbors didn’t do it. Family members did it all. Now isn’t that sick? All the worrying for nothing; and look what it did for Halloween.

[Hellrazor]

In my area of town, my across the street neighbors decorated their house. So I started. We now get 200+ TOTers in our neighborhood. There are about 5 houses on my street that dont stay home. Since I have started decorating, more and more houses are popping up decorated. My across the street neighbor said to me the other day that it was I who sparked Halloween spirit on our street. But I said he sparked mine.. so it was a group effort you can say. I dont think that T&Ts are dying off, I think its starting to become "popular" again.

I think it was a big generation gap that people noticed T&Ting going downhill. My generation had a lot of kidse (babyboomers kids) but my generation really has not had a lot of children, 1 -2 per family if even 1 per family. So that would have significantly dropped the numbers..

I hate to be stereotypical, but i work in Social Services too. My town is somewhat on the poverty line, statistics show that more and more children are born out of these communities. . so depending on your community would depend on the number of peeps you see and in what years you see them.

I honestly believe that the numbers of T&Ters stayed relativly the same, but the number of children has changed and the areas you live in have changed. Unfortunatly you can no longer let your kids on the loose Halloween night, someone has to go with them and the lack of "energy" our society has for one reason or another will inhibit that too. Again in my community, those values are rarely practiced so I get many "lone" kids.

What is the lesser of 2 evils...

Anyway after a long winded, social perspective... I think we need to take it year by year. Get peoples motivated again and it will change.... Everyone here is doing something great in their communities... Keep it up!

[Spooklights]

Trick or Treating is going strong in my neighborhood. But I notice that parents are usually with the kids these days- When I first moved here, there were a lot more kids that came on their own. Also, when a young Mom brings her kids and it's after dark, you can bet that the family dog is with them......also dressed up. It's fun to see them, but it's kind of sad that these young parents won't go out after dark without this big dog along for the walk. And our neighborhood is supposed to be one of the 'better' ones!:(

[jdubbya]

If my numbers are any indicator, it's alive and well, but the demographic has changed. More older adults, many of whom who may be empty nesters or elderly don't celebrate the holiday as they once may have, even if that means just handing out treats. IME, there seems to be fewer houses that take part in the holiday (hand out candy, decorate) so kids may be forced to scale back in terms of how many places they visit. Parents may be reluctant to drive all over looking for "active" neighborhoods where there are a lot of kids and houses. On our street, maybe half of the houses give out treats. A few put out some decorations or even a jack o' lantern. my house can be seen/heard from a block away and we get around 500 kids, most of whom I've never seen. Great by me. I agree that those of us who make the night special for so many kids and adults, might just spark the interest among others.

[Dr Morbius]

The question is relative to location. Maybe it should be "Is Trick or Treating dying off in your neighborhood?"

In mine? Oh hell no. It's hard to find a house that doesn't have at least a Jack-o-latern in front, and there are 3 (including me) extreme haunters on my street alone. I get 300+ TOT's and I welcome them all!

[slightlymad]

location location location atleast until word gets out. In our current newighborhood(read working class folk) there are tons of kids. In the neighborhood we are about to move to its middle upper class and well see how it goes fortunately we have kids to get the word out. but what i have noticed is that if the parents have to walk or even come outside forget it the kids loose out.

[One of the Devils Rejects]

I find that trick or treating had died down a little for the younger ones - except ours :-) However, what I can't stand is the older ones that go around, barely in costume, and trick or treat for themselves. They should walk around with the younger ones, help keep them save, or stay at home and pass out candy. I also feel that's another reason people are keeping their kids home, or bringing them in sooner, is because of too many older kids out for the wrong reasons.

[Sickie Ickie]

I'll let ya know this year since it's the first year we'll be displaying.

[Eyes_in_the_dark]

Like Zombie said trunk-or-treat is a big thing here in Utah and, I also live off the main road so I saw very few TOT's my first few years living here. Last year was the first year (in a long time) I decorated the house and my oldest daughter took my youngest TOTing while I stayed home and gave out candy. My daughter heard a number of kids saying to each other, lets go to the "graveyard house" down the block. I got more TOT's last year than I have in a long time.

Here in Utah the weather has a lot to do with the amount of TOT's we get also. It can be cold, rainy, snowing, windy, or nice, like last year. Here's hoping for nice weather and loads of TOTs this year. :xbones:

[Empress Nightshade]

I give a Haunted House, so I'm not sure about the TOTers. BUT, I can speculate that I wouldn't get that many. I live on a busy Avenue. On my side of the street is a school (right next door) and only a few feet of sidewalk. It's not really safe for TOTers to walk in the vicinity of my house since most of the time they'd be walking in the bicycle lane. VERY unsafe on a busy avenue for pedestrians.
However, across the street from me is all sidewalk, LOTS of houses and probably TOTers, as well. My son took my youngest TOTing last year on just a few streets and they came back with lots of candy. So, evidently my neighbors are passing treats out...even though I rarely see a house decorated.

[Hauntiholik]

In my neighborhood the number of TOTs is growing. My house is probably 1 of 4 houses that put any decorations at all (Mine being the most over the top'. I might get less than 50 kids but I do the yard haunt for me mostly.

I think the increase in TOTs is due to the kids being brought in by their parents in SUVs. Kids and parents seem unwilling to walk the neighborhoods. Yeah, it may be snowing and I can understand that - but for a kid to get out of the Chevy Tahoe, walk up to my door, walk back to the car and then the parent drives 20 feet more down the road so the kid doesn't get tired or something??? What the hell? I remember walking 5 or 6 blocks as a kid and I had to be home by 9:30.

GRRRRRR! Don't get me started on the teenagers with no costume who ring my doorbell at 10 pm wanting candy.

And what happened to saying "Trick or Treat"? More and more kids just stand there staring at you when you open the door. I can't tell you how many kids I told "If you don't say it then you don't get it". I did hear a lot of kids say "thank you" or "have a good night".

One teenage girl was too busy talking on her cell phone to say anything to me at all. She just held out her bag and kept talking to her friend. I keep a different cauldron of very old candy for those that don't dress up at all or have an attitude like this girl.

OK - Rant over.

[TearyThunder]

I will have to let you know how things go this year since I just moved to a different area last year. I have noticed quite a few families with children moved out of the area so only time will tell. I did get a good bit of children from a neighboring subdivision last year and don't know what the child count is there so I could still do well.

[slimy]

Mall trick or treating is all the rage here. Lots of churches ( Oklahoma is the buckle of the bible belt) have 'Fall Festivals'. So here, any way, old fashioned trick or treating is dying.

We promoted our house on radio, put up posters at area stores, and even put up a display of blucky skeletons on the main street with fingers pointing towards our house. We had tremendous drive by traffic, everyone wanting to see our decorations. But it did not translate into many trick or treaters.

This year we are going to hand out flyers. Maybe this would help.

[grim reaper]

usally i get around 50ish only because most people are 6-18 and still like trick or treating but im sure its decreasing

[Ugly Joe]

We've had a resurgence of kids ToT'ing around here...and that's due to "fresh blood" buying into the neighborhood.

The are I live in has been had a population that didn't wish to move for the last few decades (near the beach - no one wants to leave), and now many of the homes are coming up for sale, as the owners die off and their kids sell the houses...

So plenty of younger couples are buying them, and have or are starting, families...

So we have many children who rove the neighborhoods on Halloween, and it seems to be increasing for the time being...

[Da Weiner]

So far every year we have about 250-350 TOTs and it seems to be steady. We have a lot of other towns that trick or treat in their town and then the parents drive them around and drop them off by the bus loads and let them trick or treat around my town. I've also have my regulars that come arund because of me decorating my house and they can't wait to see what a made each year.

[writer93]

Well usually we have ALOT of tot's, since we leave on a main road here. It doesn't seem like it is dying down, but I noticed alot of teenagers, 16 - 19 or so, are starting to ToT alot without costumes. That gets on my nerves, and I usually refuse them candy. So far, ToT'ing isn't really dying down here.

[roadkill]

The only thing I've noticed is it depends on the day of the week. For instance - i do not plan on having many TOTs this year since Halloween is on a Tuesday.

Were it on a Friday or Saturday then I'd be prepping for 300 - 500 TOTs not counting teens and parents.

[writer93]

Yeah i know what you mean. Around here though, they usually come no matter what lol. That's a good thing though, I like having as many as possible.

[edwood saucer]

We live on a very long cul-de-sac surrounded by other subdivisions. And why we are the best kept secret, most kids go to the large subdivisions around town (we are typical suburbia).

I agree with many of the views. Parents not letting the kids out of earshot was not the case 30 years ago when most of us were young and covering whole ends of town. There is a lot of parental territorialism now. I do it - but with the oldest being 10 he may get to stretch his wings a bit and hop over to another subdivision. Believe it or not - he wants to be Gene Simmons for Halloween - rock on baby!~

I have a cooler of beer for the adults. Keeps all the elders in a good mood. I have to know them though.

I'll give candy out to teenagers, dressed or not. Their just out having fun.

boo.

[Lady Nyxie]

First, what is trunk or treat?

Last year was the first time in a long time that I handed out candy and I even got a late start due to indecision. I get a little skitsy being single so I decided to try to sit in the driveway. That being said... I got one group of two TOTs. There are 400 homes where I live, but the recent trend has most newer residents closer to retirement, or older. Will try it again this year... decorating for me and my friends/family is fine with me and more candy for me.

[Lady Nyxie]

Almost forgot... goint to try to get decorations up by end of September so neighbors can see and catch the bug (I think only one other neighbor did anything last year). Time will tell. Wish me luck.

[gypsichic]

[QUOTE=Lady Nyxie;60512]First, what is trunk or treat?

that usually happens in a church parking lot...........members will gather and have candy in their trunks and the kids will go trunk to trunk instead of door to door for candy

[gypsichic]

slimy & I live a mile or 2 apart

my experience has been 3 yrs ago........about 60 tot's
2 yrs ago..........dropped to about 20 but it was on Sunday and there was alot of confusion about if or when it would be observed.......the news said Sat night one night then Sunday night another.........we figured it was due to the this that tot's were low

last year back up to 60 and word was getting around about our 'cool house' from folks i know but don't see everyday

we don't advertise at all

Mall trick or treating is all the rage here. Lots of churches ( Oklahoma is the buckle of the bible belt) have 'Fall Festivals'. So here, any way, old fashioned trick or treating is dying.

We promoted our house on radio, put up posters at area stores, and even put up a display of blucky skeletons on the main street with fingers pointing towards our house. We had tremendous drive by traffic, everyone wanting to see our decorations. But it did not translate into many trick or treaters.

This year we are going to hand out flyers. Maybe this would help.

[Lady Nyxie]

Thanks Gyps... now I get it. Kind of odd, isn't it?

[gypsichic]

it is odd and while on one hand i see the parents point of safety i also think its taking the easier softer way out for the parents just like taking the kids to the mall

[Wildomar]

it is odd and while on one hand i see the parents point of safety i also think its taking the easier softer way out for the parents just like taking the kids to the mall

And if you run out of Candy you just drive away leaving the poor little kids in your dust. :devil:

Since last year was our first time in the new house, my wife and I didnt know what to expect. The neighbors kept giving us mixed answers so in the end we bought around six bags of candy and figured we were good. :eek:

Yeah, that didnt work out so well... We ran out of Candy in the first hour and sent the in-laws to the market to buy whatever they had. That was gone by the end of the second hour and once again sent the in-laws out to find more. After the third depletion we had to close up shop. Appearantly, we had a rather good display that caused all the kids to want to come to our house from all over the neighborhood. Word of mouth travelled fast!

People were definitely being "bussed" into our tract from outlying areas so we got more than the normal neighborhood TOT's. They were even lined up from the driveway to our front door. Kind of defeated the creepy factor when you are standing in line, but I guess it is better than no TOTs... Have had that happen too. :(

[Dreadnight]

I've been observing just the opposite. In the last few years, we've gone from about 200, to 250, 300, 350, and finally 450 this last year. That's just the TOTs - not including the adults with them. The other, more amazing thing to us, is how many older teens are still doing it. They tend to wear costumes that are more on the "adult" side (lots of the guys go in drag), but they are by and large very well behaved and just seem to be having fun. I think it's great and bodes well for Halloween's future.

[Daddy's Little Corpse]

Our TOT's spend their time at the mall begging for candy. I don't think we've had more than one TOT that wasn't a neighbor stopping by on their way to the mall. Behold the power of lazy-surburban paranoia... The mall is the answer for everything.

Decorating is what's really suffering around my neck of the woods. You're lucky if you see a crashed witch or pumpkin leaf bags.

[DeathTouch]

I thought I would bring this thread back from the dead. Always interesting.

[IshWitch]

I have been averaging around 100. But we have been as low as 70's and as high as over 200. We don't have a mall near by but do have a popular housing development that has been drawing them. That is common around here and it will ebb and flo. For several years the area around the library steadily grew as the place to ToT, we even went there and it was 7 miles from our house on the other side of town. Then either the people quit handing out candy or moved away but it died off suddenly (it was getting too crowded, 100's of kids, people, cars) and began to build in another area and has now moved on to that upscale development. Our neighborhood is starting to have an upswing of activity, so I see it as growing.

But I will agree with Daddy's Little Corpse and say that there has been a serious decline in decorated houses over the last 6 years. And it reflects the decline in the amount and quality of supplies provided at our Big Lots. And to be honest, the same is true for Christmas displays as well.

[Lagrousome]

I have to agree...both points of Ish. Our neighborhood is turning over and more and more families are moving in with kids, so toting is getting busier. Also, I thought the same thing this year at Big Lots. Throw Kmart and Wally World into that catagory as well. I was so excited to get to the stores this past year only to be MAJORLY let down!!! We are seeing these pop up stores though around here that only carry Halloween and open up only for the season. However, most of their stuff is crap or way overpriced....and these ding dongs are buying it up!!

[jdubbya]

and these ding dongs are buying it up!!

But...this bodes well for the holiday. If the market for Halloween merchandise
(regardless of quality) is an indicator, then the holiday is alive and well. The folks buying the overpriced crap are displaying it and promoting the holiday. They're having Halloween parties. Even a modest yard display might spark interest or jack up the TOT count on a street. In our town, we are seeing more yard displays, lights, haunted attractions, etc.. New families might just be starting out with decorating, and even if not elaborate, they might be wanting to start some holiday traditions for their kids. I remember when my wife and I were first married, our Halloween decor considted of a couple of lit jack o lanterns on the porch and a door decoration. Once our kids came along, we wanted to raise the bar a bit, and 20 years later we have a pretty big display and walk through that draws hundreds. I posted earlier in the thread that our numbers go up exponentially every year. It's good to see the interest is still there.

[Sickie Ickie]

It would be interesting to give the neighbors up and down the street free cardboard window decorations and pumpkins near Halloween and then see who uses them. They'd have no excuse...but something tells me it would still be as bare!

[halloweengoddessrn]

I had about 50 TOTer's last year and about 20 the year before. I live in a new housing track that is currenlty 2.5 years old. Our first Halloween here- there where only 12 houses built and no street lights. We had moved in on September 24- kinda hard to pull off my haunt after just moving in. Each year the numbers grow because the track is now complete and people know of our home at Halloween. If people bring their kids from other neighborhoods- I say Great! I do this for everyone in my community- not just my neighbors.

[Dr Morbius]

Oh I agree! We get people bussed in from all over the central coast. I just found out recently our street was once famouse for the most highly Halloween decorated in the county. It's died down the last few years, but it's making a comeback. I'm soo glad I moved here!

[turtle2778]

It would be interesting to give the neighbors up and down the street free cardboard window decorations and pumpkins near Halloween and then see who uses them. They'd have no excuse...but something tells me it would still be as bare!


Actually Sickie thats a great idea!! My parents ran into the same problem with xmas in their street. They sit on the corner of 2 dead ends and then the small block that connects them. The only house that was lit for quite some time was theirs. Their display got bigger and bigger, but looked just silly out there with only their lights and yard pieces. So finally they gave the neighbors some yard pieces that my dad made, he usually just gives them to family or the fellow firemen. But he gave them each one of those and a couple of strings of lights and suddenly everyone started putting a little out. Now no ones is as large as my parents, but...with the whole area being lit up we actually made it into the newspaper as one of the top places to visit for xmas lights. Which is a tradition in my family a few nights before xmas. Sooo to make that long story short..LOL... That might spark the neighbors into putting a little out and in turn bring in more tot's and develope a good relationship with you neighbors in the future.

[turtle2778]

After thinking about this, i think im going to do that. Maybe a little gift basket for each house, theres only like 6 houses so that wouldnt be too bad. Anyone got any suggestions as to what to put in it??

[Revenant]

Get some of those cheap plastic jack-o-lanterns, like the kind that kids use as ToT bags... cut the face features out and put in one of those flickering tea lights. If you can find the lights on sale, it would be a cheap way of getting a few more Jacks out on the street, and what's more important than that?
:jol:

And maybe get some white tulle and styro-balls and put some little ghosties in there they can hang from their trees.

[Death in the Reaper]

It's so annoying to see the red power ranger come through your yard every 5 minutes. Costumes are just unoriginal now. I mean when I was a kid I was a Parrot, full body costume mind you, and I made Vlad (my daddy :D ) carry me like an extra street to stop and let me run to each house cause my feet hurt even though I insisted I was alright when I made him take me out a second time. I was a Persian cat another year, when I was younger, and it wasn't one of those lame cat masks you find now. It was an actual Persian Cat costume. And I can't begin to tell you how many tails Black Cat (my mommy :D ) made for me for the various things I chose to be each year.

But anyway I basically agree with what Vlad said on the costume thing. As for trick or treating dying off I'd have to disagree. This past year we had less kids than the previous year, but it was a first for us. Otherwise every year we always get more. One thing I've been hearing about a lot is how parents just bring their kids to the mall or the office they work in and that's the only place they get to go trick or treating.

[Death in the Reaper]

Oh, one more thing to add. I worked at Halloween Adventure last year and Party City the year before. Only for the Halloween season mind you but I got to see who buys what. For the stores like Halloween Adventure with their expensive merchandise Vlad put it to me this way: For the people who only buy one or two props a year it's no big deal but for people who make bigger displays and buy more supplies for their haunts it's more expensive.

So stores like Halloween Adventure aren't really for those that make huge displays every year. It's just a big Halloween superstore, not really a great place to go for bargain shopping unless you go in after the holiday when everything is at crazy discounts. And I mean crazy they were practically giving stuff away.

Either way I do agree that a little something out in the yard is better then nothing. Those darn inflatables are very popular around here, there's a garden center on the highway near my house that sells them and then there's multiple other stores along the same highway with them. Halloween Adventure was two stores down from the garden center and Two traffic lights away from Party City on the same high way and we all had the inflatables. Our big industrial blow up display outside was this big orange tube of fabric that wiggled around in the wind coming from the motor. Party City had to put one out to rival ours. Theirs was white XD. We had more customers in Halloween Adventure then Party City really had because we had a bigger selection of costumes and better props. Not many people I met in Halloween Adventure were big haunters but I did meet a few.

[GothicCandle]

last year we had 42 tots, three or four years ago we had 200 easy. so yeah, at least in the area I live in its sadly dieing off.

[ededdeddy]

It must be where we live or what but we haven't "needed" to buy Halloween candy in like 3 years (we have even moved in that time period) I'd like to say that a front yard display has chased everyone away, but I can't(last year was the first year) but in the semi rural area we live. Even as a kid if you went TOTing you had to find an adult to drive you, door to door by yourself wasn't an option. So last year we took my daughter to my brother's housing development. It was a grand sight kids and decorations every where even a couple haunted garages. Halloween isn't going anywhere. Thanks to places like that and people like the people here. Who live the season year around.

[GOT]

In my old neighborhood, I got swamped (probably 400 kids). I now live in a gated community offset from a larger group. I try to stealth promote my haunt in an attempt to get these other kids down (I have to be stealthy because my immediate neighbors don't like this and keep the gate closed). I get maybe 50 kids now, and they get older every year. I think you have to keep in mind that neighborhoods do get older so, it's not that TOT is dying, its that the kids grew up and moved away.

[Ghoulbug]

I don't live in "town" so i have no kids at all. They all keep them in the city limits now-a-days

[vhunterd]

Halloween will always be popular. Sure there are some slow years however their are other factors that make that happen such as 9/11 as mentioned earlier. The truth is people like being scared. Trick or Treating will always take place as long as people like us have the pasion to care and scare.

[wilbret]

Kids don't go house to house much anymore. They certainly aren't let to roam the town on foot like I was! Trunk trick or treating, mall or office trick or treating, etc.

We used to get (honestly) vanloads of kids 'from the other side of the tracks' at our old house. They were monsters, and I don't mean kids in cute costumes. I mean destructive, loud, obnoxious kids and older teens with no costumes that didn't even say "Trick or Treat," but rather demanded candy.

This caused most people in the neighborhood to quit accepting TOTers. You could literally hear them coming, so we'd shut down and I'd have the stuff in the garage within a half hour.

I wouldn't mind putting up roadblocks at our (new) subdivision to allow local traffic only and let our neighborhood kids roam the streets safely without even the fear of cars.

[Black Cat]

Living in a lake community and a town that covers 26 square miles, has 9 elementary schools, 3 middle schools and two high schools is keeping Trick or Treating alive in our area. Last year we had 500 toters/adults. In our lake community the kids still go trick or treating in large packs usually with a couple parents along with them. I've noticed a lot more parents getting dressed up for the long walk with the kids.
I like the parents who think they will send the kids through our haunt by themselves. The minute we see the parents standing at the road edge, we tell them they have to walk through as well. We've managed to get a few good scares from them. The toters have a blast watching their parents get the scare.

[Death in the Reaper]

The minute we see the parents standing at the road edge, we tell them they have to walk through as well. We've managed to get a few good scares from them. The toters have a blast watching their parents get the scare.

This past year was awesome. I think my best scare was the people working at the Applebee's I went to. XD

I hope the number doesn't go down because Halloween's on a weeknight this year.

[Devils Chariot]

Everyone in my neighborhood who was a kid was within 4 years of each other agewise. When we all got too old for trick or treating it came to an abrupt stop. From about 13-14 yrs old till 19-20 Halloween was dead. But when we all started to move away to college our parents started selling thier empty nests. And all new people with little kids moved in, and it was just like old times so my parent tell me.

Now I live in an apartment, so I don't haunt and I don't get TOTs. However my fiances mom likes to decorate for Halloween, and she lets me go to town on it. I have like three smoke machines, and the thunder and lighting, crows with light up eyes, a grim reaper, a Halloween Pumpkin Prop by Me Video by Craig Schriber - MySpace Video@@AMEPARAM@@http://mediaservices.myspace.com/Services/Media/Embed.aspx/m=5719830@@AMEPARAM@@mediaservices@@AMEPARAM@@mysp ace@@AMEPARAM@@Services/Media/Embed@@AMEPARAM@@aspx/m@@AMEPARAM@@5719830 and so on. Each year we put out more stuff and really work on our costumes, and each year more kids come. Kids tell us they love our house and come right back with thier freinds.

I am not worried.

[Da Weiner]

We get approximately 300 TOTs. I live off the main road and there are no houses only the cemetary in front of my house so the kids and parents can see my house is decorated and waitin' for em'. I have a lot of drive-bys at night because it lookes more spooky at night. I've had TOTs come back a second time because they wanted to see my house again. So far so good in my town.

[theworstwitch]

I took my kid TOTing last year in an affluent suburb and it was heaving with kids! It probably varies on where and what kind of town etc... The weekday/weekend thing and weather is always a factor, but I like to believe it is still going strong.

[mikeq91]

For the home walk-through haunt i did like 5 years ago, the number of ToT progressively decreased each year until we got 5 people one year and finally stopped... granted I live in a fairly small town, its very discouraging

[The_Caretaker]

I don't think trick or treating is dying but in my half century+ I see ups and downs in every neighborhood. My best year was 2 yrs ago (400+), the last year my youngest went ou. In the last couple of years its been under 200, but I see alot of very young TOTers so in few more years I believe it will be back up as the neighbor hood kids grow older and younger couples move in.

[TwistedDementia]

I think word of mouth about a good haunt is key. A good show = more TOT's. A lot of the TOT's we get, hear about our haunt from friends and if thier friends recomended it thier interest are already up. If there's nothing to increase interests why wouldn't they find something else to do? So we need to constantly be reinventive!

[noahbody]

My attendance has averaged the same over the four years.
Which is not to say the numbers are that great to start with.

[NJWilk]

We've been growing over the past few years. The haunt has grown and the number of kids reached 166 last year. I live in a very walkable neighborhood that has seen an increase in the number of young couples with kids. Plus last year the city school district reorganized some of the schools - there were a lot of kids who had seen the haunt grow all month as they rode by to school and insisted that mom and dad bring them to the pirate house.

[ZombieLoveme]

I think it is dying off in some areas, but not in others. It seems that kids that come from homes with money don't seem to trick-or-treat as much.

[nicole]

We live in a small town (about 5,000) and alot of it is farm land. We also have alot of people who think halloween in bad and a form of warshiping satan. So alot of those kids dont come out. We try to count as accurately as we can but it is too busy. Last year we had almost 1000 TOT's. People come in from all across the other small towns. My street is the busiest, not sure if it is becasue it is the longest stretch of street or what. My moms house in a 'big city' only averages about 20-25 kids.

[ShadowMonk]

I think it's a little of both. I think in some places it is evolving and others it is dying. A couple of reasons.
1. Since pedophiles have been getting a lot of media attention the last couple of years I think people are afraid of having their kids go trivk-or-treating.
2. People seem to be leaving small towns to move to big cities. In my town we don't only have fewer trick-or-treaters but we have fewer kids period. I remember when I was young thh local school had 3 bicycle racks that would be full of bikes in the mornings and afternoons no they have one rack and youre lucky to see one bicycle. So in smaller towns it may be dying but I dunno how well the suburds of big cites do.

Thats my belief.

[One of the Devils Rejects]

Ours has actually increased over the past few years. We live 4 blocks from our elementary school, so everyone sees us prep the day before/morning of. They can't wait to see what it looks like when it's done. However, we are moving this year, so we have to start over - definitely up to the challenge!!

[HalloweenZombie]

I get about 300 TOTs. Pyro says our neighborhood looks like the E.T. movie on Halloween. My neighborhood consists of lots of single family houses close together and I think TOTs target those kind of neighborhoods. There are lots of schools nearby. As a matter of fact, my daughter is bussed to a school that's further away because the closer schools are filled up. Safety is alway a concern of parents. Streets that aren't too busy and well lit help.

But it has changed since I was a kid. When I was little, my parents took us to trick or treat in the projects. Can you believe that? The houses are really close together, so we got tons of candy in no time. But those same projects were safe 30 years ago. They aren't now.

Trick or treating is alive and well in Fairhaven, MA. I hope the whole daylight savings changes don't affect the number of TOTs I get.

[kciaccio]

I think the holiday is picking up. The stores eem to be stocking a lot more halloween props than in previous years and scary movies being made in Hollywood also seem to be increasing showing that people want to be scared.

[wilbret]

I think Halloween Parties are picking up, and TOTing is fading. However, with all of the stuff being sold...TOTing may see a revival.

This world has become so crappy, people are afraid. Parents afraid of kids getting hurt. Unsupervised teens wreaking havoc. Homeowners afraid of being sued. That combo leads to what we have.

[AzKittie74]

Where I live I am the only one in the neighborhood that decorates and altho I see that the stuff is being bought from the stores have no clue what these people are doing with it. mine is the only Halloween party I have heard of. and of all the people I know they say mine is the only one they know of. Sad really. we did have acouple of ToTers but it was while the sun was up and after sun down noone came by. most of the kids go to the mall. IMO that is so not fun and totally takes the excitement out of Halloween. I remember going from house to house and thinking how spooky it was and seeing all the monsters walking around. thinking about it just put a huge smile on my face ;O).

[Darkside]

I think it is parents fear of the increase in bad things out there, but that is why people like us are here, right? I think back to when my dad would take me to all of these great places. It is like he must have scouted out the best places to trick or treat ahead of time. Thinking back on that and how much fun it was for me makes me try even harder.

[Undeadvoodoomonkey]

We get quite a few TOTs dressed in winter coats (I never would have guessed that cold kids would be such a popular costume:rolleyes: ). Our count is between 30-100 depending on the day of the week. A great idea my neighbor does is writes her name address and phone # on individal bags with candy and prizes them staples them shut then the parents can know where they came from. My mom stopped giving out candy and switched to Halloween themed toys (spider rings, eyes and stuff) while it is extremly sad we live in such an untrusting time, there are ways to encourarge TOTers to keep comming.

p.s. I keep a dozen eggs hidden on my porch for any fiesty teens they get them right back. :finger: