Last year’s Halloween was our first in this house and you know, we had absolutely no idea what to expect. First off, we were both relative newbies to Halloween treat-giving, since both of our previous homes had been located in places that didn’t attract trick-or-treaters (we had none at our condo, and one – TOTAL – showed up at our door in all of the four years we lived in the townhouse!). As well, it was a rather difficult and melancholy time for us around Halloween last year. Peter was confined to the first floor of the house and using a walker after his first surgery, plus we had just a few days before said goodbye to our dear Spidercat.
So, not much in the spirit of things, and somewhat at a loss as to numbers, I randomly picked 50 as the target and bought candy accordingly. In spite of myself, I found that I rather enjoyed jumping up off the couch throughout the evening to answer the door and dole out treats – and as it turned out I’d guessed well, as we actually did have very close to 50 kids at our door! We didn’t actually run out of treats, but we sure came close – so close that this year I decided to plan for more.
Being in a much better space in life, I had a lot of fun with the preparations this year. I found some really cute little Halloween treat bags – 60 bags for $1.00 – so bought a couple of packages along with a variety of candy, then set up an assembly line a few days before Halloween. The end result was 75 little stuffed treat bags, ready for any costumed kids that might come to our door.
Then yesterday morning – Halloween – I awoke to wind and pouring (and I do mean pouring) rain, and when I checked the weather forecast I saw that there was no end in sight. Visions of a very quiet evening flashed through my mind, followed by the chore of disassembling the 75 treat bags I had lovingly put together, and my heart sank.
Still, knowing that at least some kids would brave the wind and rain in the quest for sugar, we locked the cats in the basement, set out our Jack-o’-lanterns on the front porch, and readied the treat bags.
(I was rather surprised that the tea lights in the Jack-o-lanterns actually kept burning all evening, as I’d wasted several matches trying to fight the wind to get them lit in the first place!)
The evening did start out rather quietly – just two kids at the door early on, followed by a long period of nothing. Then it all began – kid after kid after kid, sometimes in groups of six to eight, all wanting candy and several expressing admiration for our creative Jack-o-lanterns.
So much fun!
Very shortly after 8:00 p.m. we were left with just two treat bags out of our original 75 so, not wanting to face any disappointed kidlets, we quietly turned off the porch light and blew out the candles in the pumpkins. (I haven’t been outside yet today to see if this triggered an attack of eggs or toilet paper, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we did our part to keep everyone happy!)
Now I’m thinking that next year we should plan for 100…
Did you hand out treats for Halloween?
How many trick-or-treaters come to your house each year?
Please share!
Twitter: KimUlmanis
November 1, 2013
We live in an apartment so we don’t get trick or treaters. We did, however, have a small group of very loud pre-teens/young teenagers next door. I was trying to be nice but they were stomping up and down the stairs and my office window is along the upstairs walkway to their apartment. I was not in any mood for that nonsense so I opened the door and told them to pipe down. Yea, it made me feel like a cantankerous old lady but it had to be done. Haha.
Kim recently posted… Day 1: NaBloPoMo aka National Blog Posting Month
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2013
I know what you mean – especially when it comes to apartment living! Oh, the stories I could tell! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – October 16-31, 2013
Twitter: TermiteWriter
November 1, 2013
Great jack o’ lanterns! Do you carve them, or Peter? I especially like the one in the middle with the moon!
I never turn on my porch light since I really don’t like opening the door at night – too many home invasions these days. I used to dole out candy when my neighbor’s two girls were small. Never had very many children come by.
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2013
Thank you! Peter did one, and a friend of ours did the other two (including the one with the moon). It was a fun evening!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – October 16-31, 2013
Twitter: loisaltermark
November 1, 2013
Most of the kids in our neighborhood are all grown up now, so we have very few trick or treaters. This year we got smart and bought candy we don’t like so we won’t be eating all the leftovers!
Lois Alter Mark recently posted… talking to rachel mcadams and richard curtis about “about time”
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2013
Good strategy – that’s pretty much what I did as well!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – October 16-31, 2013
Twitter: Joy\'s Book Blog
November 1, 2013
Sounds fun! It is so tricky when you move to figure out the right number isn’t it? We’ve been here six years, so I know to expect one neighbor family + their friends. I have to be so careful about treats in the house these days, so our trick-or-treaters are lucky — I hand out Ghirardelli dark chocolate squares because those are the one candy that I know I can eat in a sane way, as snacks.
Joy Weese Moll ( recently posted… October Memoir Challenge — Wrap Up Post
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2013
Very good strategy! Definitely not good to have tempting stuff around the house.
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – October 16-31, 2013
It sounds like you had an amazing time!
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2013
It was lots of fun!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – October 16-31, 2013
Twitter: ElinWaldal
November 1, 2013
Halloween is the best, I love seeing all the little idy bidy kids in their costumes, sticky with candy and pleases on their tongues. Makes me miss those days. Glad the kids showed up!
Elin Stebbins Waldal recently posted… An Invitation to Join Me: NaBloPoMo13
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2013
There really were some cuties! It was a lot of fun. 🙂
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – October 16-31, 2013
Those jack-o-lateens look amazing!
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 2, 2013
Yes, they did a really good job on them! Hope I have a non-rotten pumpkin next year so I can join in on the fun. 🙂
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – October 16-31, 2013
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