Halloween Question

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I went all out with my decorations and had to leave to take my daughter trick or treating for part of the night. There was nobody left home to answer the door.

ETA: and I was not leaving my good bowl outside to get stolen! :laugh:

My landlord donated a lot of old Halloween decorations to me and my roommate, so we decorated the house just for fun.

I turned out all my lights and did not participate in passing out candy. There aren't that many people in my neighborhood, so I doubt people even really noticed.

If I have children, yes I would most likely hand out candy. But I don't and candy is damn expensive. I know, Halloween Grinch here. lol

No. Maybe they had a party the weekend before or they just wanted to decorate to get in the spirit. Maybe they didn't decorate for the TOTers, there was no one to stay home to pass out candy, they didn't feel like doing it, etc.

I can see how decorated houses attract kids and seem welcoming so that could be misleading, but at the same time if there's no one passing out candy at a house there's no one passing out candy at a house. No big deal.

There could be many reasons why people decorate and don't stay at home the night of...kids of their own, working, parties, illness, death, who knows? They are in no way obligated to stay at their homes and hand out candy. Anyone who does is doing a kind thing for the children, not something they are required to do. Your kids should be very happy and thankful for the people who did give them candy and not give a second thought to the houses that didn't.

I put my daughter's enjoyment first over the other kids in the neighbourhood.
We turned off all the lights, went trick or treating for an hour and came back to hand out candy after.

I brought up this topic on my wall & am curious what the rest of MFP thinks.

Last night, as we roamed my friend's neighbor for trick-or-treating, we saw a few houses (maybe 3 or 4) that were all decked out for Halloween...some really cool decorations. However, no one was home. Our kids were naturally curious as to why someone would go to the trouble of decorating their house & then not be home to pass out candy. We adults figured the people were out & about with their munchkins doing their own trick-or-treating. But again, the kids were curious.

So my question is this: if people decorate their houses for Halloween, is it unreasonable to think that someone would remain at said house to hand out candy?

My daughter ran across that last night, except they *were* home, just no passing out candy. She told them that they shouldn't decorate if they aren't going to participate.

She told them that they shouldn't decorate if they aren't going to participate.

If they weren't passing out candy, why was she talking to them? If the lights are off, you don't knock.

When I was a kid, you could knock on every door and friendly neighbors were happy to oblige with a treat or two. So many people don't give out candy anymore. NO ONE in my entire neighborhood (it's kind of small) gave out candy, but me. We went to a neighborhood where we used to live, and every three or four houses were giving out candy. We went to a trunk or treat where there were about a dozen or so people giving out candy. Then we went to a particularly large neighborhood, but only one or two houses on each street were giving out candy. The kids have to work a lot harder and travel a lot further to find people who are participating. My kids didn't want to knock on someone's door who didn't have candy. That's just socially awkward. But we do homemade costumes every year so they want to show off their costumes as much as those who choose to elaborately decorate their house. It's just disheartening because some kids really do put effort in it. Not every trick-or-treater is a "greedy, grubby" kid.

In my neighborhood, we have TONS of kiddos. If the whole family is out trick or treating, we leave the candy outside with a sign as to how many peices they may take (we said 3, others said 2). It takes about an hour to get around the neighborhood, and almost everyone goes between 5:30 and 7:30. If you don't want trick-or-treaters, you don't turn on your porch or garage door lights...decorated or not...that's the signal not to bother. Seems to work well for us.

I go nuts decorating and my 16 step daughter hates that her friends come take pics and put them on FB, instagram, etc, Since I have 5 step kids we go out trick or treating but normally my family comes to my neighborhood so someone stays behind to hand out candy. Last night kids were at dads, :-( , and I got cauight up in other stuf that did not allow me to get home till 8. Now I have tons of candy following me and calling my name.

I decorate because I like how it looks. I don't pass out candy because I don't like kids. Decorations and Halloween aren't all about kids. Simple as that.

I get bugged by this somewhat same question.. I understand people want to trick or treat with their kids but what fun is it, when you cant trick or treat on your block becuase everyone is gone out with their kids. My husband and I take turns taking the kids out so someone is home to hand out our candy.

AND Yes, if someone goes out of their way to decorate they should most definitely be home to hand out cndy or leave a bowl out for them.

So stinking frustrating, when a block over every light is on, but your block only 1-2 lights are on and yours is in the middle of the block. People dont bother to head down your street for one light. :O) BOOOOOOOO

I think when someone decorates the outside of their home for Halloween, its a signal to children to "Come Here" for candy, we are celebrating Halloween at this house, so come on down kiddies..
**Pumpkin Smiley Goes Here**