Does your neighborhood get lots of Trick-or-Treaters? (Durham: home, buy)

[NC_newcomer]

I'm hoping that here in NC (or at least in Cary) folks understand that if a house is dark, NO lights are on, no Halloween decorations of any sorts, and the only sign of habitation is a car in the driveway, then SKIP THE HOUSE.

Not everyone wants to participate, and for a wide variety of reasons: graveyard shift worker sleeping, someone sick at home, or just don't like the holiday (for religious or other reasons).

Is there some other signal, other than an incredibly rude, "GO AWAY" sign, that is used here to signify "do not trick or treat?"

[nynraleigh]

I am not sure, as I am in a new house, new development, and this is my first Halloween in NC. I am prepared though, I have plenty of candy, if I am not able to give the candy out...My office will have the pleasure of all the leftover candy.

[lamishra]

We always get a lot of kids! I think the general rule of thumb is not to ring the doorbell if the porch lights and/or interior lights are off. I never let my kids trick or treat at houses where the porch lights and interior lights are off.

[playnice]

We have very few trick or treaters. I always vow to skip it the next year but never can bring myself to actually do it. Hoping for at least two dozen tonight...ain't no room for leftover candy in here!

[DanielChang]

Originally Posted by NC_newcomer

Is there some other signal, other than an incredibly rude, "GO AWAY" sign, that is used here to signify "do not trick or treat?"

As a child, my parents had strong religious convictions that precluded our participation of the trick-or-treat festivities. My mother made a big sign that stated our decision to not participate in Halloween.

Our house was egged and tomatoed.

As an adult, now I always buy lots of candy to pass out to the kids.

[scorp200]

Originally Posted by jinxor

As a child, my parents had strong religious convictions that precluded our participation of the trick-or-treat festivities. My mother made a big sign that stated our decision to not participate in Halloween.

Our house was egged and tomatoed.

Oh no! That must have been pretty awful for you.

I don't expect any trick or treaters
I don't even think there is one child in my entire complex. Now I may get a throng of trick or treating Duke grad students...but I hope not, because I only bought one bag of candy.

[trusam]

amazing pic!!!


we just moved to an apartment in wakefield plantation. I am fully prepared with candies for trick and treaters. but i am not sure kids will come or not because my husband and son went around and not didn't find many homes participating in halloween. Finally they decided to go to near by houses for trick and treat. Not sure how many of them are participating. Back home in canada, we used to have atleast 120-150 trick and treaters!!!

[RDSLOTS]

Ironically enough, when we lived in the apartment complex in our area, we had few trick-or-treaters -- guess people were leery of those who lived in an apartment? They were all over the street, and ringing the doorbells of the houses across the street, but unless they knew us, they never crossed the street to our apartment. I found that a bit odd.

When we bought our house in the neighborhood, we had TONS of children on the porch, ringing the doorbell. I was delighted as Halloween is such fun -- just pure foolishness.

I think it is understood that houses that have no porch light on, are not participating. We generally turn our lights off around 9:00 p.m., and have had no problems with trick-or-treaters ringing the bell or pranksters venting their displeasure that we have "called it a night."

[MikeJaquish]

We had about 50-60 from 6:30 to 8:30.

I hardly have enough candy left for a good bellyache.

[Jdatlas]

We had between 120 and 130 kids between 7 and 9.

We started out giving full size candy bars but had to switch to the fun size after the 60 or so full size bars ran out. Hubby plans on buying a lot more full size bars next year -- and we'll have to hope the weather is nice like this year with no rain, otherwise we'll be stuck with a lot of leftover candy!