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I always lived in urban neighborhoods where trick or treating was a big deal. When I lived in Pittsburgh I usually had at least 200 kids at my door. Now that I am in suburbia, I still have trick or treaters, just not as many. In both places people sometimes decorate their homes.
But I've encountered something weird about that in Arizona. Some families go all out decorating the outside of their homes for Halloween. Orange lights all over the house, things hanging from the trees, fake cobwebs all over the front porch, etc. Far beyond the traditional jack o' lantern. Fine, it's kind of cool to have extra lights on when it's dark so early these fall days.
What is weird to me is that quite a few of them light up and look festive for a couple of weeks before Halloween, but on the actual night of, they turn off all the lights, lock the door, and don't hand out any candy to trick or treaters. Is this common in all suburbs or is my development unusual? I never knew it to happen in Pennsylvania.
I could think perhaps some of them imagine trick or treating to be dangerous, so they have a private party for their kids to discourage them from walking around the neighborhood. But does that have to mean not giving out treats to kids who aren't invited? And I know two of these extreme decorators on my street don't even HAVE children. So what's the deal with making your house look like Halloween Central, then stiffing the kids who want a treat? How could they say the candy is too expensive when they've just shelled out extra money to the power company?
I loved trick or treating as a kid. We always made elaborate costumes and it was fun to go around the neighborhood and show them off. I try to repay that by being generous to those who now come to my door. But I feel like these other folks are almost taunting them. "Look how much I love Halloween, just don't expect me to include you kids."
What is weird to me is that quite a few of them light up and look festive for a couple of weeks before Halloween, but on the actual night of, they turn off all the lights, lock the door, and don't hand out any candy to trick or treaters. Is this common in all suburbs or is my development unusual? I never knew it to happen in Pennsylvania.
That's really weird, but I'm a Pittsburgh so I'd agree with you naturally. I've never seen people make a big deal about Halloween and then hide and not give out candy to trick-or-treaters. Maybe what you are describing is the result of overenthusiastic parents making their houses festive for their own children and closing up the house to their children trick-or-treating instead of having one spouse stay home to give out candy.
I never decorate the house. We just have a pumpkin and a big festive "Halloween bowl." That's it. Either my husband or I will sit outside at the street waiting for the children (since we have dogs that bark all night in the house). I noticed the new neighbors down the street have their house lit up with orange lights. It will be interesting if they give out candy or close up the house so both parents can make the rounds with their own child instead.
We are childless for reasons unknown, but even now as retirees we decorate for Halloween, and give out either pretzels or cookies in store purchased prepackages. ( on the theory that a cookie or pretzel is better than candy) We are aware that many people don´t like to be bothered by the doorbell ringing but we enjoy the creativity and enjoy the kids expressions. Our new community is mainly retirees but there are a few young families who sent a flyer out this week for people to put up on the door if they wish to be visited by the trick or treaters. We look forward to it.
Here in De. there seems to be a "practice" (used loosely) but apparently one that is embraced by many towns and villages. The predetermine hours that you can trick or treat and then post them much like school closings for weather related reasons on the news stations. Here it is between 6:30 and 8:00 pm. I don't think there are repercussions for not adhering to the posted hours but it is different from my home on Long Island, where a non school day it could start as early as noon and continue to 8 or 9 pm.
Here in De. there seems to be a "practice" (used loosely) but apparently one that is embraced by many towns and villages. The predetermine hours that you can trick or treat and then post them much like school closings for weather related reasons on the news stations. Here it is between 6:30 and 8:00 pm. I don't think there are repercussions for not adhering to the posted hours but it is different from my home on Long Island, where a non school day it could start as early as noon and continue to 8 or 9 pm.
That is also the policy here in SW Ohio, which I'd never heard of before in MI. Each town sets its own time (and day!) for trick or treating. They may say "this year trick or treat is Oct 28th". Which is bizarre to me.
They will often cancel or move Halloween in respose to inclement weather.
Crazy. We trick-or-treated in snow as kids. And we stayed out until the last house light within our target range was extinguished.
When I lived in MI I enjoyed Halloween so much more than I do now that I live in Indiana. I never knew anyone to deck out their house and then not give out candy. How dumb. I remember as a kid leaving around 5 and coming back around 9 pm. Fill the pillowcase to the brim was the goal. Where I live now, it is a set time. 5 pm to 7 pm. By the time it starts to get dark, its over with. No use lighting pumpkins IMO. We get a good stream of kids but its over in a flash. Some of the surrounding cities move halloween to a different day when weather is an issue, which I think is lame. Sure it sucks to be out in the rain but being a warrior is part of the fun.
We had 5 kids last night. 2 pre-teen, 3 teen. Now, we are new to the area, and one of our neighbors said that we don't get many trick or treaters because we live on a single-loaded street that's in the back of the community. My husband said that when he came home from work, there were tons of cars at the guest guard gate waiting to get in - he figured there were lots of parties going on.
I guess the norm lately has been to trick or treat at the malls, or go to a friend's party. Which is sad. I remember growing up in NJ, coming home from school and going out in the afternoon, way before dark. We actually had to be back home before it got too dark out. I was so surprised when we lived in FL, nobody came until AFTER it got dark out! A lot of my Facebook friends have said that they barely got any trick or treaters last night.
I wish there would be some sort of formal announcement or something from the community saying not to bother anymore - so that I don't have to buy candy next year. You know I"m going to go through that bag of candy by next week!
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