We often only get a couple trick-or-treaters every year, and this year was no different, except we left the front door open all night, which means we heard and saw kids walking past our house.

I’m one of the few groups that came to our porch, I heard one girl whisper to her friends, “that’s the creepy house”

So, I guess our house is the haunted house of the neighborhood. I’d be ok with that if we actually had any ghosts.

We’ve been here for over 140 years, and I’ve never seen a single ghost.

We used to prepare for Halloween when we first moved to this house. Gave up after we only got 2-3 kids a year. No one seems to go house to house anymore, they all get funneled to the sanctioned downtown street party or the school parking lot event. Now Halloween is just about the only night of the year we turn the porch light off, just in case those 2-3 kids come by on accident.

Damn, we recently got a house too. And I bought two large bags of candy.

In the beginning, I didn’t think a lot was gonna come. So dm the first few groups I gave a handful of candy to.

More avd more showed up, and I eventually ran out. Had to tell a bunch of kids we were out, but I couldn’t take it anymore and ran to the store to get two more bags.

Handing tid batch out with a bit more care, but it didn’t matter, we eventually ran out of this too.

This is a very walkable neighborhood though

Next year I need more…

Spooky ghost and spider

I live in a small town where the local businesses on the two main cross streets hand out candy as well as have trunk-or-treats in the parking lots. Hardly any kids go around the neighborhoods anymore. It’s a bummer

I’m usually the pass-out-candy parent, but my kids wanted to split up this year so I got to experience exactly why my street gets only a handful every year (and barely any this year). Four blocks down is practically a street-long block party. At least 50% of the houses are not just active but decked out. We saw cars dropping kids off, and we saw a family from school that doesn’t live in our neighborhood. I get it but I’m kinda sad my mostly-retiree street doesn’t see any action.

Just happens in some places. Your neighbors or previous occupants may have been inactive or terrible treat givers.

My neighborhood has gotten worse over my tenure here. Three houses (including me) in a two block stretch that hand out candy.

Awww I’m sorry it sucks to be prepared and get no one. We’re in a big trick or treating neighborhood but on a side street and last year we only got like 5 visitors. This year we just took candy over to our neighbor on the more popular street and didn’t hand any out at our house. One street over from our house and the entire sidewalk and street was mobbed with under-10’s. I think it’s highly neighborhood- and street-dependent.

Ask your neighbors where the good trick or treating spot is. It may be far away from you and people are just driving there instead of sticking around the neighborhood. Or it’s possible if you’re in a less walkable area that people might do more “trunk or treat” instead where they coordinate and go to a parking lot to do trick or treating.

First year after we moved in, we decorated, bought candy, the whole nine yards. No one came. Next year we bought a smaller bag of candy, and ate it all ourselves. Left a bowl of candy out about 6 or 7 years later, after more kids started appearing on the street. Still not a one.

There’s a bunch of kids on the street, and a few people do put up some nice decorations, but we found out that everyone either does this trunk or treat thing at the church at the front of the community, or goes downtown, where they block off the streets and all the big houses decorate and have movies in their yard and stuff.

We didn’t get any visits either, second year this has happened. I’m definitely cutting back how much candy I buy next year. I think parents are preferring trunk n treat or whatever controlled halloween exchanges are going on these days. Aww well, guess I’ll just have to eat all this myself.

It was noticeably quieter this year in my neighborhood. I blame the election and the unseasonably warm weather.

We did the same the first couple of years and barely any kids came, even though we’re a block away from an elementary school. OTOH, we’re halfway up a hilly area and most of the neighbors are long time residents or retirees. No kids on the block. We just stopped trying.

There’s this one street 5min away where they get a city permit and block both ends of the block so it’s safe for kids to walk in the street. Most of the houses decorate and put out candies. It gets SWARMED! We started taking our own kids there.

Maybe there’s a street like that near you and the kids and their parents just go there.

Reach out to friends who have kids and tell them to come by on Halloween for free candy. Also be sure to decorate your house.

Also if you’re in Nextdoor.app you can add yourself to a list of houses handing out candy.

It all depends on the average age of families and density of family dwellings in your area. My neighborhood had scads of kids. We handed out a ton of candy. It was almost non stop trick or treaters for two hours.

First time in a house this year as well and we had only one group of kids knock so far. We didn’t really prepare though and only have one bag of candies so I hope that was it lol. We already prepared a sign saying we ran out in case it does happen later.

Surprisingly busy this time actually, last year I could count the number on one hand this year we hardly could sit down before the door went off again for a couple hours