Absence of trick or treaters and decorations last year... =(

[crimson_autumn]

I have always been an avid Halloween fan. I grew up in a small Southern Illinois town where almost everyone decorated. The town was alive with trick or treaters every year.

My husband and I had our first married Halloween last year. We live in a duplex in a stretch of neighborhood in Tennessee.

We went ALL out; we bought decorations, mounds of candy, etc.

Last year, we had THREE...count it, 1, 2, THREE trick or treaters. We were the ONLY house decorated on the WHOLE stretch of neighborhood! =*(

I am sad because I know this year we will go through all the trouble, and only have a few trick or treaters.

Has anyone else had this happen? How did you handle it? How did you make Halloween fun despite the circumstances? I need some ideas so I won't end up getting depressed =(

p.s., as soon as I can, we're moving to a more festive town that appreciates Halloween!

[MyersFan1]

Thats always hard to deal with, and I have definitely gone through that but ive never had numbrs as low as only 3 TOT's!! What size is your neighborhood? Maybe in your particular area there aren't many children.

[MyersFan1]

Another thread just inspired me, and i know something that may help you with your dilemma.

http://halloween.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=619

"Booing" could be a great way to get your neighborhood more involved with Halloween and it could possibly generate more spirit in your area. You could start it off and it could be a hit, who knows its worth a try.

[jadewik]

That happened to me last year-- I was renting a place in a gated community with lots of older folks. I had under 10 ToTers.... and that was coming from a neighborhood with about 300.

As an alternative... this year, my husband had decided to throw a party in lieu of doing the yard haunt. However.... that was before we bought a house. So... now we're thinking of moving the party back a week and doing the yard haunt thing. The neighborhood we're moving into seems to have a lot of kids.

My other suggestion is to go "reverse trick-or-treating" (or Boo'ing as they call it now...) Way back when, I did this in the dorms in college. If the ToT'ers don't come to you... you go to them! Dress up and take your candy on the road. You can also go to a friend's house who lives in a more festive neighborhood.

Really, Halloween is what you make it... so, even though your ToTers are a drag, there are plenty of other options out there for celebrating with style!

[CannibalsOnCannabis]

"For the love of God, get out" of that neighborhood! Always a Debbie Downer when your town is dead on the 31st (that should be a movie: Dead on the 31st of October), but the important thing to do is pray to the Great Pumpkin, Jack Skellington, Ray Bradbury, or whatever other Halloween God or Goddess you worship, and ask them that the next year be better.

[spinergy2002]

Back in 2001 when my family moved out of the neighborhood I grew up in, we moved to a very high traffic area. Lots of fast moving cars, apartments, and a modest spacing in between homes. This particular place was horrible if you planned on handing out cany, no one came. This was a far cry from the neighborhood I grew up in, we were next to a school and probably had a good 1000 kids on Halloween night.

I had a hard time adjusting to this area because there was very little decoration or interaction with any of the neighbors. I think the best way to get through a rough spot like this is to keep up the decorating. Even though we had no trick or treaters the orange lights and pumpkins in October really are great.

Since getting married in 2007 and purchasing a house back in my old neighborhood, I think that I am crazyier into decorating than I have ever been. I guess after enjoying things for so long and having such large crowds you take things for granted. I think its like that woth most things people have. Either way there is plenty to enjoy and if people dont find the neighborhood interesting to trick or treat in make it your project to get people into the neighborhood. The nice thing about Halloween is it is a holiday that can be celebrated all year long, it could be pumpkin growing in the summer, prop/decoration building in the winter or whatever. There is a lot associated with the holiday and certainly no lack of enthusiasts with information and help for the novice hobbier.

Happy Haunting.

[angel222]

this year im just going to buy two bags of candies and thats it. and the rest I'll eat them lol.

[midnight kitty]

that happened to me on my 1st halloween w/ my husband. we had moved into my friend's apartment (she moved in w/ her boyfriend) and she told me she got tons of ToTers the year before (the apartment was the 1st floor of a house in a huge neighborhood). so i went all out. deorations up the wahoo and about $50 worth of candy. not 1 ToTer showed up. it took me til christmas to get rid of all the candy.

[Andybev01]

Look at it this way, for those 3 toter's you probably made their Halloween that much more special by being the sole, shining beacon in an otherwise lifeless (no pun) neighborhood.

I bet that they will remember that night for a long time because someone cared enough to make the effort!

[SpookyBlackKat]

We have the same exact story! My husband and I are still renting a house and we are the only house that decorates in our whole neighborhood (roughly 80 houses)! If evey house gave out candy we would be the hit neighborhood on Halloween, but I think it's mostly singles that live around us. I begged the neighbor to put up something last year and he amused me with a skeleton. =)

2 years ago we had 1 ToT all night! ARGH! Last year we had 3, so at least we are moving in the right direction. I knew those would probably be my only 3 so I dumped out my whole bowl of candy on them. =)

Keep your fingers crossed and as soon as you can...move! lol! We are looking to move into a new house and I am hoping we can be there by this Halloween!

[Pumpkin_Man]

The only time that ever happened was back in 01. Out "illustrious" police chief decided that the actual day of Halloween was to be "Officer Friendly" day, so they decided to have 'Trick or Treat' on the Saturday before. I was caught totaly off guard. Luckily I had bought the candy already, but I did not have it ready when the Trick or Treaters came to the door. I had to run to the kitchen and get it out of the bag it was packaged in. Then I had to hurriedly find my plastic pumpkin that I keep the candy in, and it was a total mess. They claimed there was a notice on the cable system and in the local news paper, but I never got it.

I was really bumed out and angry when they did that, as were many others. It never happened since. It seems that the cops decided to have "Officer Friendly" day in November instead of October.

Mike