Halloween Discussion Forums, Costumes, Horror!

I live in Atlanta where its really densily populated, and you think there would be alot of kids, but last year i think there were only about 12 that came around my neighborhood, but later on that night, we went to the mall and there were like 200+ kids there. its sucks, because when i was about 4,5,6,and 7, i lived in ohio, and there were so many TOTers, you couldnt drive a car down the street. that was a ll just about 9 years ago.

darkshadow wrote:I live on a busy road, so nobody comes to my house. I go to my friend's neighborhood behind us where this is tons, and we hang out there!

Same exact situation here.

We go to my mom's about 3 blocks behind us for trick or treating. Over 100 easily every year.

I live in a small country village where kids are out and about on halloween, or with parents ect. Not many people in the uk decorate for halloween, my village dosnt unless its a young childs party.many havnt even carved a pumpkin. Except of course for me, i have many pumpkins and treats and lights ect. So everyone comes to me as i look to be in the spirit of things! i wish more in my erea would decorate, it seems more fun in america!

I have heard a lot of people say that! I am sorry but you can be the one to really push Halloween! Decorate like crazy and then maybe others will catch on!

I have seen the number of TOT dwindle in the years since 2001 in my neighborhood, which is too bad because I do some good stuff.

i think trick or treating is a need for kids thats how we build chracter they go to the door then tell them to say trick or treat and please and thank you its a time to teach young kids to be polite and considerate of other people what do you guys think?

I absolutely agree, jackskellington17. I don't give out candy unless I get a heart "Trick or Treat" first (the kids probably HATE that ), and I am not above prompting them to say thank you. I'm the kind of mom who believes that all kids within my sight and hearing are fair game for mothering from me, LOL.

I too find more and more families are taking their kids to community based TOT places such as the malls, Leisure Centres etc, and I do think a lot of it is that Parents are becoming very frightened to let thier kids accept candy from strangers, plus I find parents just don't seem to want to take the time out to walk around with their kids anymore. I hate it when parents pull up in their cars, watch the kids from their car go to a few doors and then the kids have to pile back into the cars, where's the fun in that
But anyways, I still get a 100 plus kids on Halloween. Part of it due to the Cheap <deleted> Selfish people in the complex where I live The complex I live in have 100 townhouses and I am one of 2 that hand out candy, or do anything for that matter, and the only one who decorates. And word gets around, so ya I get my share of kids who are very happy about having someone who still does it. People in this complex are the worst I swear out of my whole city, the most selfish people I have ever seen in my life, hence one of many reasons I can't wait to afford to move!
And I'm with you MHooch on making sure kids get manners from somewhere, and also that they learn that halloween isn't just about getting your candy and leaving, its about chatting and having fun with the house where you are trick or treating at, even they are becoming conditioned to go go go, so I work hard at putting a stop to that, and trying to them to chat about things and have a few laughs, and seeing if they know anything about the true meaning of Halloween. They know that there are bonuses for those who can tell me something about it's history

ImAWalkingCorpse wrote:I have seen the number of TOT dwindle in the years since 2001 in my neighborhood, which is too bad because I do some good stuff.

I think that works in a cycle as kids grow older and new kids are born. There's bound to be a few dry years in between.

But children are born all year round, every year. Not in 30-year cycles.

I have no idea how many go thru our community. We leave shortly after supper to go to a few family houses and get back around 9pm. We have had one or two before we leave or after and that's it. We aren't home for the majority.
Sometimes the community center has a party so that also cuts back.

Our street is a short side road with 5 houses on it, we are the only ones that decorate on our street.
Not very many decorate in our district. More of an Autumn decorating...pumpkins, leaves, scarecrows etc....I don't think anyone is our area has ever.."gone all out".

Where I live now, I get no TOTs. I live in the heart of the city, in a flat, and away from the road. There is only one other house that decorates for Halloween in my road (but don't worry, I try to compensate for that..)

My mum's new house only gets a trickle of TOTers because she lives in the countryside, so there are very few children living in the area. Where we used to live, in the suburbs, we used to get quite a few, mostly 13-16 year olds rather than young children with parents. It's not really caught on properly over here yet, I think because it's not safe enough to let young kids go knocking on a stranger's door anymore, and a lot of parents can't be bothered to take them. Also you get some parents, like my dad, who considered it "begging" and refused to let me go as a kid It didn't help my arguements when we used to get 17 year old chav boys come round with their hoods up and masks on and ask for candy in a way that made you think "if I don't give them something, they're going to vandalise the house.."

I think I've posted this before on another thread, but I get close to 200 TOTers each year. Quite the experience. You really get a work out answering the door that night. I live in a great neighborhood for a haunt, if I could ever find the time to put one together. Maybe when my kids get older, they'll help. Only time will tell.

Hi LadyLestate, I don't remember meeting you so Hello & Welcome! So glad you joined us. I hope you enjoy checking out all the many threads and meeting all the other spooky spirits lurking around here. It's a wonderful bunch here. Have you posted on the New Members Thread?

I wonder if many of the people repsonding to this poll live in less populated areas, out in the country perhaps? I can't imagine only getting a handfull of TOTs, that would really be depressing.