We've stopped t&ting many years ago, but we rarely had anyone show up. So now we just treat ourselves by going out to dinner and leave our house dark. Our community also does trunk or treat at the school so most of the kids and families end up going there anyway.

I can relate to your dilemma. Would you feel more comfortable having a friend visit with you during t&ting?

DH will be here and we have only a very few trick or treaters on this darkish dead end street. VERY different from our former house.

If I were in your shoes and wanted to participate, I think I'd bundle up, join a neighbor on their porch or ask someone over for adult finger foods and drinks while the trick or treating takes place. My SIL built a waterfront home in a city a little ways from here and that city closes the downtown main street along the water to traffic for a couple of hours late afternoon. It's all trick or treaters on foot and most homeowners sit outside on their porches, cocktails in hands, to greet them.

We have a lot of outside lighting and I will have it all on. I'll have lights on in every room across the front too and any window coverings open. With my desk facing out as it does, I can see who is in my driveway and coming to my door. I'll know if they are the appropriate age to be looking for treats and not trouble.

I live in a building with over 300 apartments. We always have a party in the lobby. They take out the furniture, do some serious decorating, and put out lots of candy. It's a nice chance for neighbors to visit. We can sign up on a list if we want to hand out treats and the kids are allowed two hours to go to those apartments. I always put a decoration on our door. I'm not big on costumes, but I dress up our cat who is actually cool with it.

Police do sometimes have a way of scaring people, don't they?

We are lucky to get a single door knock on Halloween, and I really didn't feel like doing anything this year - no decorations and will likely not turn on the porch lights either. Our rec program is hosting a family fun event that ends at 6:30pm, so I'll get to do something in the way of celebrating.

Most families with young kids around here trick or treat early, often before it gets dark. It's a school night too, so many folks celebrated over the weekend - lots of events going on here.

You could just set a bowl of candy out and trust people to be fair about it. Most people are, IMPE.

"Police do sometimes have a way of scaring people, don't they?"

It sounds overblown to me. Employ a little critical thinking here. If you're on a street where you hardly get any trick-or-treaters, you're at higher risk of being taken advantage of so perhaps there some caution is warranted. If you typically gets lots of T-o-T'ers, I wouldn't worry about it. At all. Do you really think crooks are going to push their way inside your door with all the passerby? Highly unlikely.

If you are not comfortable, don't do it. We have very few TOT now. I do miss it, but my boys , who are 50 and 48, were probably about the last. There are too many fall festivals and Trunk or Treats now. The city, the churches, the schools, the police, the fire departments, and so forth have them.

The have them on the weekend and some are having them on Tuesday.I

I still buy candy, but only get what hubby will eat if no one comes.

Yes if uncomfortable either find a way to do it in that you are comfortable with or don't do it. It is not worth it since there are so many places for kids to go. Malls etc still do it. As do community centers and churches.

We still get quite a few trick or treaters here. They are primarily the neighbourhood kids and their parents. We get about 50 to 75 in total. The kids and their costumes are very cute and so I will continue to do it. We light up the place quite well.

Also for safety we keep our pets locked in another part of the house and lock all the windows and secure them with window bars. For me that's the best I can do plus dogs that bark. :-).

Don't worry our dogs get some very nice treats for being locked up. My Marabelle particularly absolutely loves hunting for food so she gets one of those round things that the animals dig in for treats. :-).

The cats just sleep. They do not get any cat nip till the next day as they would be raucous and difficult to keep in the room.:-).

How sad for you. Fear is a terrible place to live. But since there's a huge physical differences from kids in costumes and grown azz male burglars I think you are capable of deciding who is knocking at your door. We live in an area where the trek from home to home is long--two acre lots on average I feel honor bound to keep our lights on and candy available. My kids used to make the trek and it was very sad for them, the homes that were dark and not welcoming. I am determined to keep what can be normal normal. Too much has changed not for the better.

We have a large picture window next to the door, so it's easy to see who's out there before we open the door.

If I were you and was feeling uncomfortable, I'd skip it this year.

I understand your concern. I agree that having a visitor sharing the evening with you or you joining a neighbor might be options. Also, there are some cute signs out there that you could leave with candy in a bowl or bucket and just not answer the door.

This makes me so sad. When we were in our house, we were on a dead-end street, and parents from all over town would bring their children to our neighborhood, so that they could trick-or-treat without having to worry about cars. We got between 300-350 children every year. Really. Plus, I worked in the neighborhood elementary school, and all the kids knew to come to my house, and to see our dog dressed up. It was my bestest favorite day of the year. I miss it more than I can say. Why does everything have to be ruined? It makes me want to cry.

Halloween was always such an enjoyable holiday . My kids really looked forward to it - from the costume parade in elementary school to T or T in the neighborhood with their friends. Since we're in an over 55 we don't have any kids coming to the door so I'm free to go with my DS, DDIL and grand daughters. His neighborhood is full of kids and there aren't any sidewalks or curbs and the lanes wind through trees. There are loads of parents walking around with their kids and most of the houses have tables setup in the driveway with candy. Apparently they started this during Covid and they've continued it.

I'd be tempted to ask a neighbor if you could put your candy next to theirs. Then put a sign in front of your house that your candy is next door - or across the street. We used to do that for the elderly neighbor who lived next door at our previous house.

If you’re afraid, just don’t do it. You don’t need our blessing.

We live in a very good neighborhood close to the end of this deadend street. We used to get around 200 with kids carpooled in from rural areas. But now most of my neighbors are older and live alone and don’t participate anymore, so most of the ToTers turn back toward town before they reach my house.

Last year I bought 600+ pieces of candy cause DH likes to be generous, but tomorrow it’s supposed to be around 32° and wet so I only bought 500 this time.

Im probably overreacting. Maybe Im looking for an excuse not to open the door on a very cold night!

The warnings from the police are welcomed. Evidently people with alarm systems arent using them, and many systems only protect first floor entrances. people need to be aware of whats going on. These are significant burglaries, not break a window and grab the tv.

Anyway, they arent coming to my street. We’re all nosy.

I'm another one who thinks this is sad. I wouldn't want to live in a place where I had to worry about that. My daughter is coming to help me pass out candy this year. I wasn't going to decorate, a little depressed over my stupid torn up home right now. But then I decided to go ahead and do a little. I even bought a big pumpkin to put on the porch. Her and I are thinking of dressing up too.

You've got to enjoy every minute you have, because you never know how much time you have left. An old friend of mine passed away a couple weeks ago, a little over a year after she retired.

Report from a cu d sac that has had 7---40 trick R treaters over the years. Husbands annual tradition is to remove the screen from our storm door the morning of October 31. Candy is handed out without opening the locked door. November 1 he puts the storm window in the door and we are set until Spring.

I used to do the same. Screen out, pass out candy, then put the storm window back in. Didnn;t have to worry about kids backing away from the opening door and backing off the step.

But last year that storm window was just too heavy going back in so I didn't even use the screen this summer.

Add me as one who respects your fears. I wouldn't do it if I were in your situation. They can knock you down and get into your house faster than you can react, if they have a plan.

I think your issue is somewhat in arcy's post-honor bound.

Do you feel some obligation to do this? Why? I don't. There have been many years I've done it. And some where I haven't. I've left candy at the street, sat in a chair and answered the door. Or stayed deep inside my home without lights on. There are enough other events and houses that they won't miss mine. Be guilt free about this one.

Meh. I am still handing out candy but I don't find it fun. I no longer know the children coming to my door. And while the little ones are cute I liked it better when I actually knew them.

We get close 100 kids but they come groups so maybe we open the door 10 times.

I don't like the idea of not participating since it’s happening all around me.

I no longer decorate but as long as the kids see a porch light, it's all good.

Ded, you might feel fragile since you have recently had surgery. Maybe sit this one out.

I am also in agreement that chances are slim that a burglary will happen on Halloween on a well-trafficked street.

Burglaries are a big concern. A good friend had all her jewelry taken. She had work done in her home and that is often when these things happen. I was particularly sad for her as it was everything. I don't understand that why she didn't have some in a bank safe deposit box or even just hidden in her house. Her DH always had a false sense of security saying that no one would steal from their small home ehen there are much more affluent homes nearby. They now have a Ring doorbell and an alarm system.

It seems to me that closing yourself off to this is a recipe for closing yourself off from something else once a new fear is brought up. I am far more afraid of stagnating and becoming old than I am of random acts of violence in a nice neighborhood. That said, I understand eld's point about feeling weak after surgery. I like the idea of inviting a friend to enjoy the evening with you. Imagine if you *could not* open the door because you were bedbound and unable. What would you think then of this opportunity?

Last year I was in the hospital with pneumonia, and missed Halloween. I love seeing the kids, even if I don't know them. I'd guess we get 35 or 40 kids in previous years. For many years we lived out in the country and never saw any kids. Local parents took their kids into town to trick-or-treat. But now, I can't say how much I love it.

For anyone concerned, why not invite friends over, or go to someone else's house. It's great to see the kids, the costumes, it's wonderful fun.

I have enough candy for a couple of pieces per kid. I'm trying to show some restraint, but I really don't need any leftovers the next day.

Well, as predicted, I decided to open the door and there were some pretty scary characters out there.

Scare me to death!

Kids were cute. i ran out of candy early. The ax was rubber.

And I didn't feel guilty! They're out there in full force, as adorable as ever, and I just ripped five EKG stickers off my chest.

I guess I could have participated since I was home and mobile (actually, it was a follow-up, and I'm so much better I think I'm through having this procedure). But you know, I really didn't feel like it.

There was actually somebody who posted on my neighborhood Facebook page, a handful of years ago, why didn't everybody participate? And I wrote because I just had a hysterectomy?

Apparently, I have medical procedures every Halloween. I don't even plan them that way. But if I have to depend on society's measure, I'll never make it.

This is my next door neighbor's house, and it's not even decorated. They're normally no cars in the parking lot. Since it's the parking lot to a church. It's full, and people are driving around, and it's like 30° outside. They're waiting to walk up the stairwell to a plainly decorated house.. it is bonkers here, and I'm not putting myself on the line for this!

12 kids--opened the door four times. Well we have a storm door we swap the screen out for the glass tomorrow. Tonight the hole is open so we don't have to open both doors!!

I got asome very large groups. I let them each decide how many pieces to take. The highest amount 3. Really? They got a kick out of being able to decide.

However, the last group of the night was older boys and they grabbed by the handfuls.

I still have lots left over. I always pick out our favorites before hand.

We had 50-60 kids. Was getting worried halfway through and had the ones that did show up take handfuls. Then I started to worry so we went back to telling them to take 2-3 pieces. Still had a bowl leftover and my daughter took that home with her. She's taking it to work tomorrow.

My daughter dressed up like Beetlejuice in a very thin costume. I was much warmer in my momma kangaroo costume.

When the kids were little and I took them trick or treating, we would leave a basket and a sign. Kids were so respectful. Once we were walking past our house, there were kids on the porch, and I heard one say ”oh, the sign says ’take one or two’”, the other kid said ”oops” and put one back.

In our current neighborhood that worked, too too, except for the year I caught three boys dumping the entire basket into their pillowcase. I opened the front door and yelled ”stop right there!” They skidded to a stop. ”Was that the right thing to do?!?” ”no, Mrs Bpath”. ”Will, is that you?” Boys we knew! They sheepishly put the candy back and apologized. Years later I told their moms, all friends of mine, we had a good laugh.

This year, I was just reading in our local fb groups various reports and videos of a car stopping in front of houses, someone, an adult!, jumping out of the car, running up to the porch, taking the entire candy bowl, racing back to the car, and it speeds off to another house! Now that is mean, selfish, and brazen.

My neighbors quit at 7:00 p.m. (they had given out to 400) trick or treat or started at 5:00 and ended it about 8:30. And the final tally for peak was 683, which is down from past years but probably because it was so freaking cold and windy. One person had their crock pot stolen off their porch. And someone hit a kid on a bike nearby, not in the neighborhood. I would be very happy to trade with anyone who wants to complain about getting four or five.

We had 163 - more than expected as it was 35° at 5 p.m.

Some awfully cute costumes; my favorite was Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. We’re in Missouri, after all. 😉

Kids were very very nice and respectful. We said, ”Take 3 pieces of whatever you like,” and they each carefully made 3 choices.

15 children was our total. That's about 100 less than DH would like to see but he did enjoy those who came. All were with parents, and most of those introduced themselves, shook hands.

And we had 4 great nieces and nephews ranging in age from 1 1/2 to 8 who came all at once - again with their parents. Things got a little crazy for a while but it was late afternoon while we were still game for the challenge 😊 'We' ran races in the driveway for a little bit to burn a bit of energy and calm things down before they went on to the next Uncle and Auntie's.....

I had not one trick-or-treater, so the somewhat stale, individually wrapped cookies went out with the trash today. Yes, I know, food waste is not good, but the cookies weren’t going to improve with age.

We had a lot less trick or treaters than usual. I gave out handfuls of candy at a time to get rid of it. Dh and ds weren't happy about that, but we don't need the calories. I'm putting us all on a diet.

The kids were polite, but said 'Happy Halloween' instead of 'Trick or Treat". It was fun for all.

I asked one young boy what he would do if i said Trick. He said ”that would be sad”. Cute

I have a ridiculous amount of candy left over. I never know how much to buy because some years we get skads of kids and other years it's like 10. So as I sat here at my desk today I ate so much chocolate I now have a stomach ache. Apparently I am fundamentally a 10 year old kid at heart.

Tomorrow that left over candy is going to the office so someone else can eat it.

We had zero trick-or-treaters at the house, which was fine - we have no decorations and our lights were out. I just wasn't feeling like it this year, and we rarely get any, even with decorations and lights.

But I got to do all kinds of Halloween stuff with bunches of children: crafts, decorations and activities for the past couple of weeks, and a big event at our rec center yesterday afternoon. We provided a Halloween maze, carnival games, a bounce house, a photobooth, freshly made cotton candy and lots of treats, and even arts & crafts (mostly masks). Staff and most of the campers and their parents were in costume - I was a ghost 👻

Weather was balmy here, and we had three or four groups, but there were a lot in each group - from three to five or six. Kevin handed out the candy, and we have a lot leftover, but we only bought candy we like. I guess I have to eat it now. I might freeze some and use in smoothies, especially the Three Musketeers, since neither of us love those. I sometimes add almonds to those, and then they are better.

We used to put 3 Musketeers and Milky Way bars in the freezer and eat them frozen - so good, even tho you could break a tooth on them 😁

Can't do that any more...

"I am far more afraid of stagnating and becoming old than I am of random acts of violence in a nice neighborhood."

Well said.

If I had leftover cookies or candy I didn’t want, I would donate them to a homelesss shelter or soup kitchen rather than discard them.

" If I had leftover cookies or candy I didn’t want " and that is why I give out granola bars, hot coco packs, & capri sun containers. never ever stale cookies.