I guess the growth of neighborhoods goes in cycles..Kids grow up and unless people move out and new younger families move in, no more ToTs.Maybe in a few years those original ToTs will be bringing their kids to Grandma and Grandpa's neighborhood
My little rant
After much decision I have decided what I receive from all my efforts is not what I get in return. After 13 years of haunting (lucky number), I am taking a break from a big yard display. The countless hours for maybe a hundred TOTs just isn't worth it anymore. At my best I was getting 300-400 a night. Kids have grown up and gone to college and just don't come by the house on Halloween anymore. I will decorate the inside of the house this year so I can still have the enjoyment of my favorite holiday. I never thought I would quit what I loved doing but it is a much needed hiatus. I hope everyone has a great October and thanks for reading what I had to say! 
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Holy cow you get 100!? I had a new all time high of 50something last year! lol I'll tell you what though, every single one of them will remember my house and if I'm lucky a few of them will grow up and want to do the same for their kids on Halloween every year!
Good luck! Sometimes a break is what's needed & there's nothing wrong with that.
Well at least you're not completely slamming the door shut, Halloween can be consuming but I think the return is worth it
I know how you feel, I am the same way this year. I will decorate inside and out a few things out Halloween, but I am not doing the whole yard display this year. I feel a certain relief to be honest. And no treat bags this year, just candy. It is what it is.
Nothing wrong with a break. Have fun.
Wow, it would be nice to get even a hundred. We personally don't get ANY, but my parents get maybe 30-40, and they live closer to town, in an actual neighborhood.
But there's nothing wrong with taking a break. Sometimes you just need it! Decorate indoors and have a party with your friends, instead!
But there's nothing wrong with taking a break. Sometimes you just need it! Decorate indoors and have a party with your friends, instead!
I'm decorating lightly and then putting tape on out steps blocking them off with a sigh that's says " the witch is out! sorry! happy halloween . and or " out trick or treating"
We've had the nonexistent TOTs for years, maybe 10 tops. We've decided to go "camping" during October and have huge success. Last year we had an estimate of about 300 just in the campground we stayed. It is a bit of a pain to haul everything for a weekend but we've decided after this year were going to schedule for 2 weekends including the week in between. Not knowing it we scheduled this year for arriving on a car show weekend and the following being a halloween. Boy will these guys get a load of my custom truck rolling in hauling halloween decorations for the following weekend.
I understand the need for a break but I'm confused about the "what I get in return" part. What exactly are you expecting to get? If it's just about the numbers, 100 is still a lot of kids compared to what many posters on this board report getting.
i personally don't get very many kids about 50... but i don't really do it for them any way, i enjoy the challenge and making the decorations.
the best thing about this year is we are having a party. This means that all our friends are coming over and will see my decorations and will celebrate with us. Its a great way to get people to see your decorations. Plus since they are your friends they are even better that TOTs as they will remember and ask the next year about it and most likely want to come see.
There is nothing wrong with a break, especially since your "break" is more than most do for the holiday. But hopefully we will see you in the following years with renewed energy and drive!
Happy October!
the best thing about this year is we are having a party. This means that all our friends are coming over and will see my decorations and will celebrate with us. Its a great way to get people to see your decorations. Plus since they are your friends they are even better that TOTs as they will remember and ask the next year about it and most likely want to come see.
There is nothing wrong with a break, especially since your "break" is more than most do for the holiday. But hopefully we will see you in the following years with renewed energy and drive!
Happy October!
It's important to remember, as somebody else already said, that neighborhoods evolve over time and sometimes that means all the young families go to other parts of town and you find less and less children around, hence fewer trick or treaters. It just means the real action is in a different neighborhood. If this hobby means a lot to you, I'd think about moving to a younger neighborhood or relocating your haunt to someone's house who lives in a trick or treating-heavy place. Try not to be too bummed out about the declining Halloween activity in your particular area.
Take a break...but never give up!
we usually get a few hundred kids but we are in town and have a reputation as a scary house. I just received this comment from one parent thru the neighborhood watch.
(Last year there was a very creepy set-up at the house on the northeast corner of Jackson and Madison. There was a loud noisemaker and people with masks and paint that crept up to passerbys. There was no warning or sign to parents with small kids and my daughter (she was 4 years old then) was scared so badly, she ran off. This created a pretty upsetting and unsafe situation for us.
I would like to ask that, if there will be the same setup at that location, that there are clear signs warning parents further down the sidewalk on both sides or that somebody is posted to let groups with children know about the upcoming scare setup. It might be fun for older kids but not for little ones who just want to trick-o-treat.
I would really appreciate it if you could pass this on to the responsible party!
I guess I am a responsible party. LOL Her kid ran off last year because DAD was to busy watching all the other kids getting scarred I mean scared. He never even seen her run away until we told him. I think we did our job. mawahahahahah
(Last year there was a very creepy set-up at the house on the northeast corner of Jackson and Madison. There was a loud noisemaker and people with masks and paint that crept up to passerbys. There was no warning or sign to parents with small kids and my daughter (she was 4 years old then) was scared so badly, she ran off. This created a pretty upsetting and unsafe situation for us.
I would like to ask that, if there will be the same setup at that location, that there are clear signs warning parents further down the sidewalk on both sides or that somebody is posted to let groups with children know about the upcoming scare setup. It might be fun for older kids but not for little ones who just want to trick-o-treat.
I would really appreciate it if you could pass this on to the responsible party!
I guess I am a responsible party. LOL Her kid ran off last year because DAD was to busy watching all the other kids getting scarred I mean scared. He never even seen her run away until we told him. I think we did our job. mawahahahahah
What a fabulous idea DvlsToy! I can totally get behind camping over a halloween weekend: the campfire, the ghost stories, bundling up with your sweetie. We don't ever get trick or treaters and I understand what Calloween is saying when she refers to the effort put into creating a fantastic display and wanting to share that with a bigger population than they're getting. I would decorate on a much larger scale in our front yard if we got a few doorbell rings.We've had the nonexistent TOTs for years, maybe 10 tops. We've decided to go "camping" during October and have huge success. Last year we had an estimate of about 300 just in the campground we stayed. It is a bit of a pain to haul everything for a weekend but we've decided after this year were going to schedule for 2 weekends including the week in between. Not knowing it we scheduled this year for arriving on a car show weekend and the following being a halloween. Boy will these guys get a load of my custom truck rolling in hauling halloween decorations for the following weekend.
If you need a break then take one and get re-energized for next year. A well-rested haunter makes a happier haunter!
We've had the nonexistent TOTs for years, maybe 10 tops. We've decided to go "camping" during October and have huge success. Last year we had an estimate of about 300 just in the campground we stayed. It is a bit of a pain to haul everything for a weekend but we've decided after this year were going to schedule for 2 weekends including the week in between. Not knowing it we scheduled this year for arriving on a car show weekend and the following being a halloween. Boy will these guys get a load of my custom truck rolling in hauling halloween decorations for the following weekend.
That sounds like so much fun!!!!
I love the idea of going camping over Halloween.
This seems appropriate for this thread
well I guess I only repeat what has already been said take a break just don't give up, but is it all for you or for the memories for the kidy's be it 1 or 100
myself I guess I do a lot and only get I think the most was last year about 50 or 50 and they were all in groups so not like busy all night
but remember also it is on Friday this year so they all should be out I think the mall thing has stopped a lot of treater-s to bad
myself I guess I do a lot and only get I think the most was last year about 50 or 50 and they were all in groups so not like busy all night
but remember also it is on Friday this year so they all should be out I think the mall thing has stopped a lot of treater-s to bad
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