Halloween in Maine

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by Robel

I ended up with a little over 200 kids this year.

candy rationing.

[inthetrees]

Originally Posted by JoulesMSU

Two years ago we moved to the middle of South Portland, just a few blocks from the schools. The first year we had - MAYBE - 8 kids come and trick or treat. It was so disappointing because we had gone out and bought like 5 big bags of candy, expecting to have hundreds of kids hit up our house.

This year was about the same, a few more kids, but still probably less than 20 overall. I don't understand - SoPo kids don't trick or treat?

To be fair, it seems like hardly anyone puts up decorations around here either.

We live in the woods of knox county. Every year I buy candy hoping kids will come.... but it never happens. Well we have had 2 kids in 5 halloweens. This year I even got some cool blacklights for the lightposts and motion light above the garage.

Ahh well, it's pretty much the only time of year I eat candy.

I realize kids don't come here because houses are so far apart, however I thought for sure in a place like South Portland, they would.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

I walked up to the lady's car door, leaned over and groaned. She turned toward me and saw the most awful sight she had ever seen. She let out a bloodcurdling scream and dove toward the passenger side door. which she opened, but her seat belt was still on. I leaned in. Broken bones were hanging out of my hand. Mom screamed again. The kids looked toward the car and all five screamed in unison. They ran for refuge at the open passenger door. With all five screaming kids in the car, mom spun the tires backing away from this horror.

The following year we had goodies for the usual 20 or 30 kids. Nobody came. The word was out. I remarked about it the following day at the general store. They said, "You don't know why?" I did not. The prior year when Mom screamed and dove for the opposite side, she wet the seat on her brand new car. Old timers would say she had "cast her withers".

LOL! I can relate. Not as good a get-up as yours, but at my old house one year I got dressed up in my medieval re-enactment garb, with a mask and a rather large sword. I stood stock-still at the edge of the light, partly in the shadow. Kids would come up, looking and looking, wondering if I was real or just a statue...and just about the time that they had satisfied themselves that I was, indeed, a statue, I would raise the sword a little higher and growl. I think that more than a few "cast their withers" that night. The next year, many passed by, whispering and pointing, but none would stop. Mrs. Z was very disappointed.

We never get anyone here, houses are too far apart, and we are too far off the road anyway and there are no streetlights, can't even see the house from the street.

[slyfox2]

THIS YEAR, we decided to work for the Southwest Harbor Library on Halloween. It was great. Some 1%er summer person who owns a kids publishing company gives the library as many children's books that they want to order, to give away 2-3 books to every kid(or pregnant mother) who comes through the door in costume---easy $10-20K in free giveaway kids books. So they come in droves on their way or after their way to their regular trick or treating.

My wife dressed up this year but I did not. If we do it again next year, I will dress up too.

It was loads of fun, and there were some incredibly adorable outfits. I think my favorite was a mother who dressed up as Dorothy, and her 5 year old who was the splitting image of the green faced wicked witch of the west for the Wizard of OZ.