Halloween Protocols?

[Midpack]

DW and I disagree every year, so I thought I’d informally poll here.

I’d rather put a chair on the front porch and give out candy as kids come by. DW thinks that’s Halloween blasphemy - she insists the kids have to ring the doorbell and say “Trick or Treat.” If they don’t, before handing out candy she asks “what do you say?” You?

DW objects to (older) kids who don’t put any effort into costumes don’t deserve any candy and sometimes even mildly shames them. You know, the high school kids with no costume and a pillowcase, or college kids with costumes. While I agree with her, my thinking is why antagonize them and induce vandalism? So I just give those kids 1 piece of candy each instead of the 3-4 pieces we plan on for each trick or treater (and we give much more if we have a lot left near the end). You?

I like to let small kids take what they want from the assorted candy we have. And most of them only take 1 piece, I have to encourage them to take more. DW decides what each kid will get, and she gives fewer pieces out. You?

We have the same Halloween mild disagreement every year…

 

[jfn111]

We always went with the "ring the doorbell" to get the candy. Most of our neighbors turn their lights off and don't participate so the kids quit coming.
We now go to the daughters house and go around their neighborhood with the grandkids.

 

[audreyh1]

Kids don’t come by here as we are a gated 55+ community. None of the adults stroll around trick-or-treating either, lol.

Personally I appreciate the peace and quiet, so neither, lol.

 

[W2R]

Being a single woman living alone in an urban area with a high crime rate, I don't feel at all safe answering the doorbell when older teens come around on Hallowe'en. We don't really have young kids coming around any more like they did years ago. I just turn off all the lights and pretend I'm not home, so nobody has come by in years. There aren't any families with children on our block; our neighbors are all old fogies like us.

Like in many (most?) communities, Hallowe'en for kids here has moved to parties at school or at a classmate's house, and little kids don't trick-or-treat at all any more. I know it was that way in College Station, Texas, back in the 1980's when my DD was a little girl. Most of the parents I knew at the time were relieved because they didn't think it was safe for the kids, either.

Frank is extremely well armed but he doesn't answer the door at his house, in his case because he thinks Hallowe'en is stupid.

Now, Hallowe'en is FUN down in the French Quarter where adult tourists and Goths dress up in amazing, expensive costumes and wander from bar to bar. We went down there a few years ago and had a great time.

 

[Car-Guy]

In the almost 15 years we have lived here we have had "zero" trick or treaters... Matter of fact, we have only had one person knock on the door (we don't have/need a doorbell ) in all those years and that was from a "electrical utility worker" letting us know they needed to replace our electrical meter.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

I think it’s fun to have adults sitting outside to greet the kids.
I don’t think bell ringing is necessary. In fact when my dog got older handing out candy before the doorbell rang was preferred.

I decided a long time ago that whoever came to my house trick or treating would get candy. I don’t care how old or if they are costumed or not.
We don’t know what is going on in kids/ peoples lives and I don’t want to make anyone feel bad about asking for candy on a night that candy is being offered.

And yes, I’ve had adults trick or treat. It’s candy.

 

[HawkOwl]

I think either “protocol” is just fine.

We have 50-70 kids come by each year. I love the traditions and wouldn’t turn off my lights for anything.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I live in a nice area of my small town that has a nice and easy grid of residential streets for Trick or Treaters to canvas. Kids from other parts of the town and nearby rural areas are dropped off by the carload to reap the candy harvest of my area.

There are so many kids that there really isn't time to open door/close door/hear doorbell/open door/close door. It is non-stop kids for 90 minutes. So I usually just sit in a camping chair with the candy on the front porch.

However, I don't always participate. The last 2 years, I just turned my lights off and watched TV in the bedroom on the back side of the house. This year, I will be on an Amtrak train doing a coast-to-coast trip. I'm not opposed to participating. I just do it when it feels right and I'm in the mood.

 

[MarieIG]

Anyone who comes by our house gets candy, whether they want it or not! No age or costume restrictions.

We don't have a porch. We have a rather small stoop at the top of the stairs so it would be a bit cramped fitting a chair and the trick-or-treaters on the stoop. I suppose we could sit in the driveway, but it is usually a bit cold by Halloween, so that would be limited to an hour or so.

I have no objection to the porch or the doorbell method or a combination thereof.

 

[Midpack]

We very deliberately chose a mixed gen neighborhood, so we have lots of trick or treaters, all ages. I’ve never lived anywhere where Halloween wasn’t a tradition, I can’t imagine otherwise but I don’t doubt those who do. I’m just glad there are designated hours now, when I was a kid it started and ended whenever, more than the set 2 hours of today.

 

[38Chevy454]

I'm out in the country where houses are pretty far apart. In a neighborhood, but kids have to walk a lot more. So we give out some candy. Usually 3-4 pieces per kid. No kids past about 15 around here. It's just the neighborhood kids. Sometimes sit outside, makes a lot easier with dogs at the door. I give out the candy, typically one of each type; we get a variety of candy types.

 

[Sojourner]

I’d rather put a chair on the front porch and give out candy as kids come by. DW thinks that’s Halloween blasphemy - she insists the kids have to ring the doorbell and say “Trick or Treat.”

I agree with your DW.

DW objects to (older) kids who don’t put any effort into costumes don’t deserve any candy and sometimes even mildly shames them. You know, the high school kids with no costume and a pillowcase, or college kids with costumes. While I agree with her, my thinking is why antagonize them and induce vandalism? So I just give those kids 1 piece of candy each instead of the 3-4 pieces we plan on for each trick or treater (and we give much more if we have a lot left near the end).

I strongly agree with your DW. I would not hand out candy to any teenager who can't be bothered to dress up in the Halloween spirit. Showing up in street clothes, with a pillowcase, and sporting an entitled, dour teenage attitude, IMHO, is the exact opposite of being in the Halloween spirit. I would give candy to college students (or anyone, for that matter) wearing an interesting, fun costume.

 

[Midpack]

I strongly agree with your DW. I would not hand out candy to any teenager who can't be bothered to dress up in the Halloween spirit. Showing up in street clothes, with a pillowcase, and sporting an entitled, dour teenage attitude, IMHO, is the exact opposite of being in the Halloween spirit. I would give candy to college students (or anyone, for that matter) wearing an interesting, fun costume.

I agree with my DW. I just don’t fight it because why risk having them vandalize our house over 1 little piece of candy? FWIW

 

[Teacher Terry]

When I lived in a house I gave candy cheerfully to everyone. I think sitting outside or letting them ring the doorbell are both fine.

 

[Sunset]

We have only a few come by, about 20 at most. Weirdly most walk by on the other side of the street instead of our side.
I attribute it to: more houses on that side, and maybe because we have a registered sex offender living next door.

I give candy to anyone that shows up at the door. Last year I even called over a man and his adult retarded daughter to come for candy as our grouchy neighbor across the street didn't answer the door for her.

We let them ring the doorbell.

I buy only chocolates and peanut butter cups as we often HAVE to eat the leftovers

 

[Freedom56]

In 2020, we were one of the few areas where trick or treating was permitted. So we bought Halloween candy bags and filled them up with chocolates that we bought from Costco and left them outside on a table outside our home at let the kids help themselves. It worked out so well that we did it again last year and will repeat that this year. It's much easier to manage and we can watch our slasher movies on Halloween without interruption.

 

[Sojourner]

I agree with my DW. I just don’t fight it because why risk having them vandalize our house over 1 little piece of candy? FWIW

From what I see of teenagers today (well, at least the ones who live around here), they are far too busy checking their phones every ten seconds to be bothered with vandalizing houses. Also I can't imagine they'd care enough about being denied a little bit of candy, honestly, to go to all the trouble of vandalizing anything.

 

[Sojourner]

In 2020, we were one of the few areas where trick or treating was permitted. So we bought Halloween candy bags and filled them up with chocolates that we bought from Costco and left them outside on a table outside our home at let the kids help themselves. It worked out so well that we did it again last year and will repeat that this year. It's much easier to manage and we can watch our slasher movies on Halloween without interruption.

My next-door neighbor did this a few years ago, and her doorbell camera recorded some people (looked like two adults with two children in tow) coming up to the porch, picking up the big bowl of candy, and dumping the entire thing into a large pillowcase. Then they casually wandered off as if it were nothing.

 

[Sunset]

In 2020, we were one of the few areas where trick or treating was permitted. So we bought Halloween candy bags and filled them up with chocolates that we bought from Costco and left them outside on a table outside our home at let the kids help themselves. It worked out so well that we did it again last year and will repeat that this year. It's much easier to manage and we can watch our slasher movies on Halloween without interruption.

I'm surprised the first few kids don't empty all the candy in one visit.
Around here, a few people left out candy in a bowl, and then complained that some kid dumped the bowl of candy into their bag and left.

 

[Chuckanut]

Sitting at the front door ruins the experience, IMO. Last year I was out on Halloween evening with a grand kid. It was such fun. Kids racing from house to house, while the parents chatted and caught up. Teenagers? Who cares? Give them a fun-size Snickers and let them move on.

Fun-size = the trick in Trick or Treat.

 

[Jerry1]

We go to DD’s house and enjoy the grandkids. Their neighborhood has a lot of people sitting outside handing out candy. We, and many others, will pull the fire pit out to the front of the house and sit by that and hand out candy. It’s a good time.

I agree with your wife that making them come to the door and say trick or treat is best, but when in Rome . . . Also, it’s fun to see all the little ones. You’re right about how shy some are when you say to take what you want. But, then there are a few who go crazy. It’s all good.

As for the older teenagers - again, I agree with your wife, but I do what you do - I just give them a bit less. Still, they’re out having a good time and doing no harm, so let them be is my thought.

Mostly, just enjoy it. If you don’t, then I guess just turn out the lights and go inside. Personally, I like handing out the candy while DD and SIL walk around with the little ones, who are growing up so fast.

 

[braumeister]

We don't have them anymore in the condo, but before that I would be completely in sync with your DW on those points.

 

[MarieIG]

Reminds me, time to look for my witch's hat; makeup; and make sure my long black dress and black shawl are clean and in decent/wearable condition. It is possible DH put the hat in the attic, in which case I will need to wait for him to get it.

 

[Midpack]

I wonder if most kids are using the Halloween apps that show which neighborhoods have the most/best candy (sorta like Waze was)? I assume that's the kids I've never seen riding around in Dad's pickup truck or van...

 

[Aerides]

Last year - to avoid interacting with all the little germ carriers - we went with a bowl and a sign asking them to take 2 pieces and leave the rest for others. It was placed on a stand in view of our ring doorbell camera, and I checked my phone after every few visits in case things didn't go well.

Easy peasy. No getting up 17 times. No one emptied the bowl. I just refilled it a couple of times.

We don't have decorations up for halloween. If I was a kid, especially a teenager, I'd be hitting up the homes that go all out, not the ones that have a long driveway with no guarantee they are participating.