Thread: excitted about our new house then kicked in the N#&s

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I was so excitted to buy our new house and started to plan how and what I was going to do for this coming Halloween. Then the neighbor came over and told me that we don`t get any kids around here . It is mostly old folks and the quiet part of the area.I felt as though I just got kicked in the N%&s! Man this really stinks. I`m going to have to start a haunted yard walk thru. And bring the tots here. I own a whole lot on the side of my house and the yard behind my house and then the driveway back out to the street.So a big U. I can do so much with this. And the shed in the yard will make a nice butcher shop or gardeners shed with man eating plants or a witches hut. Muhahahahaha I`m really gonna try to get something going this year. Any ideas please post here .

Congrats on the new house!! With the enthusasum that it sounds like you have I am sure the TOT's will be lined up at your place!!
If ya do it right and dont scare em away..... the "old folks" will be just as excited as the TOT's.......

I'm sure with your enthusiasm and the ideas you have the TOT's will be coming in flocks! Probably the best thing to do is a little advertising - just simple yard signs and flyers in high traffic areas.

We bought our house 12 years ago, and were in the same position - the area was almost all retirees. It was kinda nice, actually. Everyone's yard was perfect. BUT as folks get older, they generally downsize or move into retirement villages, etc. Our our area is almost ALL young families now, and the older families we have left are pretty awesome, and send kids our way. Think of this as your warmup year.

I moved to my place two years ago. I found out the same thing, no TOTs. I was freaking out. I decided to do something about it. I printed up hundreds of postcards and sent them with my children to their schools. I was able to bring in a hundred kids when there were zero the year before. I think this is something you can fix.

wow,, the potential for your yard is amazing! I am sure you will draw kids sooner or later, the first year might be a bit slow but word of mouth will bring them in,,, the advertizing thing is a good idea too,,,,,

sounds like an amazing yard. maybe you can get some of the neighbors to pitch in and help build stuff. when they see what you got, they are a good start for word of mouth. put up flyers. a light, a bright light. when we moved here, we kept seeing this bright light flashing. we decided to follow it. turned out it led right to a haunt. good luck

I'm a younger guy (36) that moved into an established area where the general populous consists of retirees. I love them all, and I hope they never move away. I love it so much the way it is right now. 2010 we had 7 ToT's. I live on a non-ToT friendly road, it's fairly busy with no sidewalks and that is most of the problem (though the extra traffic does help to advertise the build up to Halloween). After really juicing up my layout, changing up my my lighting scheme, being the third year of giving out full sized candy bards, and setting up early we had 79 last Halloween. We're hoping to break 120 next year. That is a lot for a house on a county road outside the city limits.

Every new person we've met in the area since has brought up the Halloween decor.

You just have to get started. You'll find a way to bring them in.

Maybe the neighborhood doesn't get any TOTs because there's no reason for them to come there.
Hopefully you can change all that. Good luck!

we were in the same boat when bought the house year and half ago. looked at the front lawn potential for displays when purchasing but didnt even think to ask the neighbours on ToT traffic. First year's halloween was only a month or so after moving in and the display was very very minimal. a dozen or so kids came by.
this year we did a full display, had lights and sounds and a sign at the top of the street pointing to the "zombie picnic". We had lots of kids this year, compaired to last years and from what neighbours said, the past 5 years. Many of the neighbours (5 of them) came and thanked me.....sarcasticaly because they all ran out of candy within first hour and had to run to store to get more. But they also thanked me for bringing the holiday back to life on the street and cant wait for next years display.
So now I got pressure to increase the display and the ToT traffic too!!
A walkthru with lots of displays would be "worth the walk to the house" in kids' eyes ... and a few signs directing off the main street doesnt hurt..especialy if the signs are light up with battery operated lights!