[persia]

2009 the year trick or treat died?

We joined the majority of neighbors Saturday night and kept the outside lights off. I've never seen the area so dark, only three or four houses lit up on the whole street. I went for a drive to the local convenience store (copps) and observed few lights and few people in costume along the way but I think mainly frantic cars driving around looking for lights on somewhere. Near the High School a few decorated houses. Then darkness.

Judging by the shear amount of candy on sale today in CVS and Walgreens, I'd say my observations were pretty much correct. Is trick or treat finally dead?

[Right Bower]

Not in my neighborhood (Fitchburg) where it thrived. We had to stand in line at some houses. Plenty of young couples with kids aged 2-5.

[boston_jeff]

Forgot to turn our porch light on until too late, ended up with only one trick or treater. Doi.

[Ned Flanders]

Is it too difficult to hand out some candy to kids once a year? What's wrong with you?

[Peacetrain]

We joined the majority of neighbors Saturday night and kept the outside lights off.

Why?

[TheBookPolice]

We counted 91 kiddos from 4-8, which was in reality starting at 4:15 or so and ending at 7:45. It's our first year doing the candy thing, but we smoked both of the in-laws up in Appleton.

[feh23]

Either we live in the one neighborhood completely devoid of children, or the parents in our area completely killed Halloween. I'd say about 80% of the porch lights were on, and we only got one trick-or-treater. Next year, it's full sized candy bars for the kid(s) and beer for the parent(s). Might as well make some new friends.

[Right Bower]

Next year, it's full sized candy bars for the kid(s) and beer for the parent(s). Might as well make some new friends.

Between the jello shots for the adults at our neighbor's place across the street, and the hip-flask of Jack Daniels my next door neighbor (dressed as a pirate) had in his pocket mixed with the two bottles of Sprite I (dressed as Superman) had in the cupholders of our doublestroller, we had ourselves a grand old time.

[Henry Vilas]

We had more trick-or-treaters this year than in the past few. Since all the new student housing construction near campus, many houses that were rentals have been sold and are now single family occupied. Four kids born in just the last six months on my corner of the block.

[Goober McTuber]

Either we live in the one neighborhood completely devoid of children, or the parents in our area completely killed Halloween. I'd say about 80% of the porch lights were on, and we only got one trick-or-treater. Next year, it's full sized candy bars for the kid(s) and beer for the parent(s). Might as well make some new friends.

Address, please.

[Donald]

Extreme southwest Madison had lots of kids/parents out---most I've seen in our years here. The area is fully occupied now with lots of young couples with little kids.

[Violet_Skye]

I also had the most I've seen in years here in DeForest. From about 4:30 on until about 7:30, I went through 3 1/2 good size bags of candy.

[persia]

Demographics play a big role in it. Our kids have outgrown it, so have all the neighbors except for a couple new people. The only lights on Saturday were those new people with young kids. The rest of us have moved on I guess.

It was good to see how dark it can get around her, usually there are more lights on and you can't really appreciate the night. Middleton probably saved a few bucks worth of electricity.

In the end we're done with it, after several dismal years and the fact that we don't know any of the kids there's just no point doing it. Would I let my kid eat candy from a stranger? No way. If my kid wants candy I'll buy it, it's safer that way.

[rabble]

In our neighborhood there seems to be a custom in the last few years. The houses that do themselves up with strings of jackolantern lights, cobwebs, and vampires with sound-activated laughs, get kids. The ones that don't have lots of decorations, don't. Even if they leave the porch light on. One street was dark and quiet that night, and one block over was a block party complete with fire pits and scary movies projected onto garage doors. Kids all over the place.

[evansvillehousewife]

Evansville has an interesting Trick or Treat tradition. EVERYONE, parents, babies and dogs, has a costume. And they all head to West Main, where all the old Victorian houses are. It's only about 5 blocks but that area is crammed with throngs of happy families and the rest of the village becomes a ghost town. The historic homeowners go all out, constructing haunted houses on the porches/front lawns, lighting firepits, and skateboarders take over the streets. The Masons put on a BBQ/hotdog dinner for donations.
It's kind of like our own official crazy annual block party.