Thread: Halloween disappointment

Tweet

Does this happen to anyone else? Do you get all excited waiting for Halloween, decorate the house, expect lots of kids to show up...and then nothing? I mean when I was a kid in the 60's and 70's Halloween was a BIG DEAL, there was like a million kids running around trick or treating and you hit every house you could, it was FUN! The neighborhood I live in now is almost like a ghost town (and not in a good way) every Halloween night, I hardly get any kids compared to the glory days. Is this just the way it is nowdays?

I think it is based on location. I live in Buffalo, NY and in the years I have tried to hand out candy, I have had about 30 kids. In the middle of a decent size city. So I returned to haunt my parents house. They live in a small town of 6,000 people, and get about 300 TOTers every year. Some places are great for TOT, others stink.

Also, if you have a good street it helps. In addition to my parents house, several others on the street decorate big time. People are driving their kids across town just to hit our street, to see the scary houses. So while we get 300, they might only get 150 a block away if their street is less interesting.

As far as TOTing as a whole, I would guess it has declined in general over the last 30 years. Halloween has gone from a kids holiday in the 50's and 60's to a holiday now claimed by adults too. Halloweenforum being a good example of this. Several recent books on Halloween go into this in some length.

I have noticed that every year I get more and more kids as they see my display. The word gets out and people will look forward to what you are putting up for the next year...don't get discrouraged!

Yup, I figure it's my job to keep it alive in my neighborhood and share some great memories and maybe one of the kids down the road will do the same thing and help keep the holiday alive.

I have the same experience here. First year we were here, we probably had about 30 kids come through, but with the yard haunt growing every year, we've had more and more people come through. This past year, we had about 250 ToTs.

We discuss this every year after Halloween. I think that we need to mentally prepare ourselves for the fact that the big day may not live up to our expectations.

If you haunt it... they will come.

A dozen or so years ago, Halloween was as you describe. A ghost town... and not in a GOOD way! I got MAYBE 20-30 or so kids

Then I really ramped up my decorating... and even more, the TREATS. A Big Lots store was remodeling and clearanced out all their toys at 90% off. Since I was only expecting 30 or so kids- it was nothing to spend about $30 for some really neat toys. I rigged up a "duck pond" game - using spiders in place of numbered ducks to distribute the toys.

Needless to say, it was quite a hit. Suddenly my house was the one kids talked about at school, planned for all year, and made their parents drive them to for TOT. Over the years, my rural haunt in the middle of nowhere was drawing 200+ TOTers. One year, my house was even the stop for an organized hay ride.

So don't give up. Having only a few kids gives you the opportunity to make Halloween really memorable for those few TOTers lucky enough to knock on your door. Believe me, word of mouth WILL get out and soon you'll be thinking of ways to deal with all the TOTers!

Around here. A few weeks ago the Senoir graduating class pics were in the newspaer. Only about 72 kids!? This is AFTER three schools in the western side of this county were combined!
I graduated from this town (before consolidation) in 1967 and there were almost 70 in my class!?
The biggest employer in this town is the Nursing Home. 2nd is the school.
The population was 2,500 here for many years, now it's 1,800 and I think they are counting the nursing home residents!
When I was a kid and before I was born this town's downtown was full of businesses and merchants.. now the buildings are more empty than not...a good location for a haunted house, right behind those old buildings...there I am!
Ravens Grin Inn est. 1870 it has a long haunted history.......most of it centers around the huge wine cellar here.

Yeah we're getting less and less kids every year.

Especially less and less kids in costume.

I really need to make a sign. "No costume, no candy."

Originally Posted by boo who?

So don't give up. Having only a few kids gives you the opportunity to make Halloween really memorable for those few TOTers lucky enough to knock on your door. Believe me, word of mouth WILL get out and soon you'll be thinking of ways to deal with all the TOTers!

Well said, boo who?

Do you dress up to answer the door? The kids in my neighborhood love it when we answer the door in costume. I agree with boo who? in that word will get out and each year there will be more and more. Hang in there.