[LobsterSan]

My roommate and I just recently splurged on filling a huge bowl of candy for the little tykes should they come knocking on our door... when he brought up the point that he has found fewer and fewer customed candy lovers coming to his parent's house in the past few years. Anyone else notice this phenomenon? One issue brouhgt up is safety, or the lack thereof.

I am currently in college, and this is my first year living in a sort-of residential community and in a house, so I don't know the recent trends.

This comes after someone got held up in front of my house at gunpoint a couple nights ago. Earlier this semester somebody was screaming outside my window out of a moving car, yelling "help me!". I've also been mugged in my years at Berkeley, my old roommate has been robbed, and I have heard numerous police blotters of other such things happening. I know these incidents are only relevent here, in a semi-urban environment, but do people feel like their communities are less safe as well?

To relate this to headphones... ummm... well, for awhile after my mugging I was afraid to walk around with headphones for fear of someone sneaking up behind me. I'm a little better about it now, though I doubt I would were them if it were dark out.

Anyways, I hope I get at least a few trick-or-treaters this year... or else I'm going to have a really upset stomach from gobbling all that leftover candy.

 

[lextek]

We have seen a decline in the past years. It seems the the thing to do these days is Halloween partys.

 

[mbriant]

Could also have something to do with a demographic shift. The echo boomers ( children of baby boomers ) are past the trick or treat age and they are having less children themselves. Not good for Toys R Us stock.

Also I would imagine the wider diversity of origin of immigrants coming to North America would also have something to do with it. Many cultures aren't into Halloween.

 

[LobsterSan]

That's a shame. There was something so fun about trick or treating... parties are kind of blah... I mean, kids have any number of birthday parties to go to every year. trick or treating is a one in a year thing. i just love the scene in ET when all the kiddies are out trick or treating... that's how i remember it. little scamps in all sorts of cute costumes with a bag in their hands and tooth decay on the horizon.

 

[RickG]

Quote:

Originally posted by mbriant Could also have something to do with a demographic shift. The echo boomers ( children of baby boomers ) are past the trick or treat age and they are having less children themselves. Not good for Toy R Us stock. Also I would imagine the wider diversity of countries of origin of immigrants coming to North America would also have something to do with it. Many cultures aren't into Halloween.

All important factors, however, street gangs and crime are a major factor in the minds of parents these days. It's just safer to take the kids to an organized event then to walk the streets knocking on doors. It's a crying shame, but that's just the way it is.

 

[gloco]

For my neighborhood it has to do more with a huge influx of russian/jewish/asian immigrants. I don't think have any clue what "halloween" is or care for it. We haven't had any rats trick or treating in a few years.

 

[mbriant]

I would imagine Halloween would seem more than strange to a new immigrant who's never been exposed to it.

 

[joelongwood]

Quote:

To relate this to headphones... ummm... well, for awhile after my mugging I was afraid to walk around with headphones for fear of someone sneaking up behind me. I'm a little better about it now, though I doubt I would were them if it were dark out.

DO NOT.........I repeat........DO NOT wear Etys! The paranoia factor can be HUGE with those things.

 

[bootman]

Well I took my daughter out trick or treating.
We live in a neighborhood full of kids but my block only has about 8 houses so the kids don't come here in droves due to the location but one block over is candy city.

 

[TimSchirmer]

I think it's because of a lot of these "safe trick-or-treating" things going on.

There is one at my college right now. People are just paranoid now... they'd rather take their kids to the mall, or somewhere where they feel "safer"

 

[Budgie]

Looks like I will have a total of 7 kids at the door tonight. Bought 3 bags of candy.

 

[mlchang]

Quote:

Originally posted by Budgie Looks like I will have a total of 7 kids at the door tonight. Bought 3 bags of candy.

Equals more for you.

 

[LobsterSan]

Quote:

DO NOT.........I repeat........DO NOT wear Etys! The paranoia factor can be HUGE with those things.

If one day the Etys shall grace my ears, I'm gonna have to get those biker glasses that let me see behind me. Or grow eyes in the back of my head. Either will do.

Well, it's 8:30 PM here and not a single ring yet. Doesn't look promising... my teeth are going to hate me for buying so much candy... (at least it's good stuff though... reese's PB cups and kit-kats)

 

[squirt]

i've also noted a very substantial reduction in holloween rugrats but i thought it may be due because our neighborhood basically grew old together and have for the most part past the baby making age...but i'm sure there are other factors...i've also noted a major reduction in children who play outdoors i.e. little league sports or just playing for the fun of it...perhaps they're playing on computers now days...

 

[smokey]

We've also seen a decline in trick-or-treaters over the last few years. However, tonight after nothing for the first few hours, we got hit hard between 7 and 9. I guess the kids must have had school parties then ransacked us afterwords.