Is Halloween alive and well in your community?
By breepeace
@breepeace (3014)
Canada
October 23, 2007 8:05am CST
It seems that every year we get less and less trick-or-treaters around here. The first year that I lived here, I took the day off and I got the most kids between 3 and 4 pm, but since I generally have to work until 4:30-5 now, I obviously can't be here to hand out candy then. Last year I got home at 5:15, and I only got 2 kids the entire night! The year before we got less than 10!
Are more parents afraid of letting their kids go collect candy, or are kids becoming apathetic of the entire tradition? I know it was one of my favorite things about the fall, and even now I love handing out the candy and seeing all the cute costumes.
Last year, in addition to the 2 actual trick-or-treaters, I got a group of 4 teenagers at my door at about 9:30, not dressed up at all, with a plastic grocery bag between all of them. I just gave them a piece of candy because I'd already had such a poor turnout.
So what about your community? Is the tradition dying there?
If you have kids, do you let them trick-or-treat? By themselves? Or with you there?
3 people like this
10 responses
@SpitFire179 (2536)
• Canada
23 Oct 07
I'm getting very disappointed with the whole Halloween tradition now, last year i got no kids here at all, year before same thing, and my first year, same again.
I think most kids are now going to the malls because of the fears of parents, but it's sad, i used to go out till curfew, which was usually about 9ish with my mom or my uncle, and brothers and sisters, and when i was old enough, brought my brothers and sisters out with me, we had fun and went around all over the place, went to haunted houses and everything, it was such a fun time.
there was that and we always came home with a black garbage bag filled with candy each, 5 of us always went out, and well 5 bags of candy usually lasted us a couple of years, but it was a blast, and there were few scares, yes we had to sort the candy when we got home to insure that everything was taint free, but geesh...
i wish Halloween went back to what it was at one time, fun, energetic, and an experience to go again for...
people are ruining it for kids now, just sad...
1 person likes this
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
23 Oct 07
Trick or treat never really caught on in the UK although for a while it seemed that it might. These days we see very few trick or treaters about but should they be around and knock on my door they are likely to find no one home as my partner and I will be out with friends that night.
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
24 Oct 07
Yes it is, in fact, Halloween is the one thing that brings my family together. This year, I am spending Halloween with my boyfriend, but my mother and step-father are probably going to take my little nephew trick-or-treating. It'll be his third Halloween.
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
24 Oct 07
We get about two hundred trick and treaters (I will be out this Halloween for choir practice so my husband will have to give the candies out at the door and help the dentists to drum up more businesses.) When the weather is bad, that is, if it snows early, then we do not get as many. The people who go to Church do not participate in Halloween and I would not, but my husband does not go to Church. So you can see there are quite a number of families around here.
Oh and we have kids who come back, dressed in another costume. So it seems that trick and treating is still here and does not end until 9:00 pm.
@joshboz (1209)
• Australia
24 Oct 07
no not that much, we dont celebrate it that much. there is nobody here to knock every evening in a spooky question and mention the favorite words treat_____? since my childhood ive never seen this practice more than watching it in the t.v. i guess the tradition is dying here sorry.
@ganandoplata (814)
• Chile
23 Oct 07
In my country, Halloween is not a usual party or day to do somethign special. Anyway, in the last years, there has been a kind of revival of this party in here, people getting disguised, candies, etc. I don´t like it too much, anyway.
@mrsbrian (1949)
• United States
23 Oct 07
I think that most parents now days are afraid to allow children to go trick or treating, it is a bit scary with all the sick people out there, I live in the country so i dont get any action here , but i do go into town to my sons house,they have a new baby this year so I get to stay with the baby and pass out candy while the take out the older one, should be fun I do miss the fun of seeing the little ones.
@yojspew (171)
• Philippines
23 Oct 07
Here in the Philippines we don't practice trick-or-treat..instead of celebrating it..we have these events called "All Saints' Day" and "All Souls' Day" that falls on November 1 and 2, respectively. During these days we go to Cemetery to pray and give thanks to our relatives who passed away. We would bring sweet foods and candles for them.
@nobsplese (5)
• United States
23 Oct 07
Yes it is. I noticed that last year I still had candy left after trick or treating was over. Dont know what is happpening. I have a son he trick or treats with me there he is only 6 too many weirdos out there for my taste. Hopefully it will liven up this year.
