xxx

Very few trick or treaters in my So. California neighborhood which is strange since we normally have a ton of kids stop by each year. The local news reported that there were three home invasions last night in Southern California due to trick or treating. One man was found dead in his LA area apt. Kind of scary for the homeowners to open their doors anymore to kids - and two of these invasions were in high-end residential neighborhoods with the intruders using dressed up children to get access.

Jeannie

Halloween was my favorite holiday as a child. I was lucky enough to grow up in a small (7,000) town and when I trick-or-treated in the mid to late 60's, it was safe to go w/o a parent. In fact, no self-respecting child would dare go with a parent, much less an older sibling. Only once did I have to have my older brother with me. Why? Because my parents didn't let me go out until I was about 5 or 6. Toddlers and infants didn't go out in my day. Gosh, did that really come out of my mouth? Today, parents take infants and toddlers, hauling them around from house to house. The kids are too young to enjoy; it's the parents who want to have the fun.
Sort of agree with Ron. I don't feel I owe anyone candy. And, I don't think it's fair to go out of your neighborhood, unless you live where there are no other particiants. Otherwise, don't double dip -- going to your neighborhood and others as well. It's the greediness of those kids and the older trick or treaters (when they have facial hair) that make people resent the constant hand-outs for candy.

huh

Why would parents not allow their kids to trick or treat. Because they might get "Anthraxed" by their neighbors??? This country is becoming the land of Jerry Springer thimkers.

D.J.

We had a little less than normal, but all my kids went out.They got the best quality junk ever, and it was all safe, I didnt have to throw anything out.

patty

Here in Manhattan (where we've actually had anthrax cases) there were a lot of kids at our door. Now we just all stay in our building and after the building party in the lobby and the children's parade, the kids just go from basement to penthouse visiting each apartment with a flyer on the door so it's contained and safe - and warm! But we do know kids who went to different buildings and had lots of fun!

xxx

Philly suburbs- had a lot of kids of all ages as usual but not as many as previous years. It was a beautiful night and as I looked around at all the decorated houses and the kids running from door-to-door it made me feel very patriotic. What's more American than trick-or-treating?
Enjoyed the comment about sneaking candy from the kids. I was sneaking it from the bags I bought before Halloween-my daughter busted me- but I actually had my kids believing for a few minutes that the store sold me a defective candy bag with a hole in it and candy missing. You're never too old!

S

If you live out in the county, going to another neighborhood is typical and expected. There are only about 25 houses in our neighborhood. The next closest neighborhood is about 1/2 mile away. Maybe half of the homes in either neighborhood participated.

My kids T/T as preschoolers, but we confined it to ours and the next closest neighborhood. As new subdivisions, they were only half full. They hit maybe 20 houses total. More than enough candy or excitement for a child that age!

In our household it's an established fact that Mom and Dad have dibs on any candy out of any bag they want! My husband loves the Dots and twizlers. I go for anything chocolate.

Patrick

Here in quiet and conservative little Naples, Florida an incident was reported in today's paper. It seems a man, a local tennis pro, put candy out in a plastic pumpkin and sprinkled flour all over it to "scare" the children. The kids went wild when they got the powder on their hands -- went screaming -- and one even missed school the next day traumatized by the idea of anthrax. The police are holding the man in jail on $20,000 bond and he may receive up to 15 years in jail.

Mom

Patrick-What a sicko. I hope they throw the book at him!

Susan

I LOVE having the babies and toddlers at my door in their costumes! What kind of person gets upset about having young children trick-or-treating? That's got to be a joke! It's all in good fun folks, please find somewhere else to direct your anger.

Perhaps you can say it's for the parents but it's also for the neighbors who love having the little pumpkins and bunnies show up in their costumes. And my kids ask me every Halloween about the first year they went trick-or-treating and want to see pictures. Maybe they don't remember it but it warms their hearts to know we dressed them up and they went to three houses with their little plastic pumpkin buckets.

Now, the trick-or-treaters with (their own) facial hair ... that's another story. But I just smile and remember being 16 myself and trying so hard to be old sometimes but also trying so hard to still be young. Cut them some slack -- I wouldn't go back to 16 again for the world.

dan woodlief

I think there is even more to it than that Susan. My daughter is only 2 1/2, but she really wanted to put on her Cassie The Dragon costume, and she loved every minute of the experience of Halloween, except for the time when a five-year old in a Grim Reaper costume came running up the street and the little thing turned and ran the other way as fast as she could. The five-year old took off his mask and said "everyone's a critic." That was something to remember for us, but my daughter had a ball the rest of the night. We just took her to a few houses last year, and she seemed to really enjoy it.

Arabella

Susan, I like to see those tiny pumpkins and bunnies, too! Nothing more precious than a little one in a darling costume. And it's fun to chat with the parents and get a chance to know your neighbors.

Judy

Dan: that is sooo funny! Everyones a critic.....future Dennis Miller, I think.
And I just LOVE seeing the dear little ones too! I think when you get old enough to a Granny, you appreciate them even more!
Dan : did you take pictures? Love to see some.
Judy

Annie

We only had 5. Of course, we only have about 7 kids in our neighborhood. I'm not telling you where we live, because then everyone would want to live in this blissful kid-free neighborhood.

x

The only ones I mind are the teenagers who AREN'T in costume.

Uncle Ethan

From the Southland: Got no treaters. Lots of area churches had their own celebration, with everyone welcome. Friends in other parts of town had more than before, others saw less than before.

barbara

My favorite wa the young(ish) woman with the ciggarette in her mouth who told me she was collecting for her baby who was home sick!

Celeste

My Orlando home only had about 15 trick or treaters compared with the average 50 or so.