Thread: So Your Halloween Was A Bummer?

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First forgive me if I offend anyone here but with that being said with all the negative post I've read on this year small turn out everyone must remember we are in a recession. Can you can remember only a few years ago your local Wally World was stocked to brim with Halloween goodies and now this year I had to hunt high and low a simple cast foam skull! Even the vaulted Spirit Halloween store selection of merchandise was more than disappointing. Once there were at least four Halloween season specialized stores near me, such as Spirit, selling merchandise and now this year there was only two so the recession has had a direct effect on the holiday. Now to the part that may offend some which is that Halloween was on a Sunday which if you live in the Bible Belt as I do does have a big effect and might even if you do not live in this area of the country. I had more than one person tell me that they would love to have visited my haunt but since it was the ‘Lords’ night they could not bring themselves or their children, so be it.

Now this has always puzzled me because did not the early Christian church co-opt Halloween to attract ‘heathen’ converts into the church? Is not the Christian religion also all about in the end death and the ‘life ever after’? In many parts of the world such as the country of Mexico who’s population is predominately of the Catholic faith didn’t they not just celebrate today the ‘Day of the Dead’? Yet here in America I see some Protestant sects do all that they can to turn their parishioners against Halloween. If you doubt that how many churches in your area can you count that had Trunk or Treats this year on Saturday or Sunday and handed out candy and religious pamphlets to the TOT’s? I know in my area I can rip off one church after another including one that is no more then 1/8th of a mile from me! So add it up folks, recession, a political tilt to the right (please I don’t even want to go there), and the religious groups doing all that they can do to end Halloween as many of us remember from years past it’s no wonder many of you had such a small showing and so many darken houses on your street.

As for myself I had a great turn out with more than ever TOT’s coming through my haunt this year and considering I live in an aging neighborhood in a small town in a semi-rural area with very few children I consider the 300 or so TOT’s a major success! So my haunted friends do not be discouraged since when I first started my haunt I may have had a turnout of 30 TOT’s! If you love Halloween and enjoy seeing the joy and fear in a child’s face don’t be discourage because with time you will see your numbers grow and as the old but true saying goes “what goes around comes around”. Continue to build your haunt, advertise, and most important enjoy and I assure you the TOT’s will come.

The only negative that we had this Halloween besides the major traffic jam that we had in front of our home since now parents drive their kids around. Yes I know what’s up with that but as I said I live in a semi-rural area and not a major metropolitan area with large neighborhoods where kids walk from door to door. This wouldn’t be bad at all if it wasn’t for I noticed so many parents show up totally trashed! Now I love to party on Halloween and enjoy malted beverages maybe more than others but to be drinking and driving with small children did make me shake my rotten head more than once.

For a school night, we did surprisingly well. We had about 450 TOT's and then it just shut down about 8:30 pm. All in all a good night. It was cold and clear here in my part of CT. For living in a town of 8,500 people, 450 TOT's is not too shabby.

I wish the turnout was better for everyone in other areas, but we had a good year.

Eric

I was a little bummed with the turnout. But the compliments made up for it. I did have some stuff stolen the day after which kinda ruined the mood for me. Oh well, I guess I'll keep doing it. The family is pushing me to. They said it's good for me to have something to look forward to. I think they really want to keep me out of their hair for a month or two

I did my averge I usually get around 250 and my count this year was 230 so I did good
but yes just keep doing it a people remember you know where you are and you numbers grow just remember Field of dreams "if you biuld it they will come"

Originally Posted by Spookzilla

The only negative that we had this Halloween ...parents drive their kids around.... totally trashed! Now I love to party on Halloween and enjoy malted beverages maybe more than others but to be drinking and driving with small children did make me shake my rotten head more than once.

OMG... I can't believe this

I am shaking my head too

Sadly, I think you are going to have to call the police next year

Otherwise that traffic jam might become a fatal traffic accident or a hit and run

We got a little less than last year but it was freezing cold and a bit windy, which bites right into your skin, and we're not really well known...YET.

My daughter kept saying we didn't get enough..I want more TOT's. This is what I told her...I don't care if we get 2 TOT's , it is totally worth it to see those 2 kids faces when they see our display. I did have quite a few repeat visitors from last year who said they couldn't wait to see what we added and our neighbor's son offered to call the paper next year for us I told him not to do it yet. We're not where I want to be as far as size and props. I also told his daughter to come by next year to help if she wants(she's about 16 or 17). She loves coming to see our display.

All I know is I had a blast and I got to wear a costume..lol. In my world it doesn't get any better than that!

As a side note I bought 3 huge bags of candy and at the end of the night we had half a bag left so I'm not really sure how many more people my daughter was expecting..lol.


Spookzilla, when we took our daughter TOT there was the one set of parents from our neighborhood who took their kids TOT(walking) while downing a 6 pack. I used to pray to run into them in the middle of the TOT'ing. He was usually half in the bag and completely hysterical. I would shake my head but I have to admit that the guy was a riot. The wife was usually in much better condition than he was but I did always wonder what he was thinking.