Maybe it was the weeks of cold, gray, rainy weather that preceded it. Maybe it was the rare Saturday occurence. Or maybe it was simply that my kids are so much older that my role is limited to passing out candy and ensuring that a few decorations go up every year.
At any rate, Halloween seemed a little off this year. We were so busy, and it was so rainy, in the days before the holiday that we waited until the last minute to make the pumpkin run. Big mistake. Due to rainy conditions? lower inventories? greedy consumers? there was not a single garden-variety orange pumpkin to be had at Wannemakers, Clover’s, TJ’s, Dominick’s or Jewel Saturday.
We settled for a squash, a dusty orange Cinderella pumpkin and a creamy white version of the old stand-by. And they were actually kind of fun. The washed-out Cinderella pumpkin revealed an electric orange interior when carved. The white pumpkin looked suitably ghostly and the squash made an awesome cat-o-lantern when laid on its side — and stayed perfectly lit all night.
But the foot traffic seemed way down this year, which was a huge surprise for a Saturday Halloween. As always, I worried at the last minute that we wouldn’t have enough candy and sent hubby to the store for “one or two more bags.” He came back with six — a punishable offense in this household where the stay-at-home mom/worker prefers not to be confronted by that sort of temptation.
Sent a huge bagful to a Halloween party with my son, who helpfully returned home with same.
Anybody else left with major reserves of Halloween candy? Or were the trick-or-treaters out in force in your neighborhood?
Full force here, our neighborhood was swamped between 1 and about 5ish. In fact, I was thrilled to be able to rid ourselves of last year’s candy.
It’s official, Halloween is the dog’s least favorite holiday. Every time the bell rang the house echoed with a chorus of frantic barking, e-v-e-r-y t-i-m-e. Following the hysterical alert was the push by 150 pounds of curious dog(s) to see ‘whose here’, ‘what do they want’, ‘can they stay and play?!?!’ My biggest fear was the lawsuit that was surely forthcoming if a trick or treater took a dive off the porch because the dog charged out to say hi.
I’m glad its over.
EJ you should of gone to the Red barn on 63rd near Cass. They had big beutiful pumpkins left over. We had minimul foot traffic. Too cold and windy and no fun to do it in the daylight anyway. Although one change I notice each year is the continued addition of Halloween theemed yard decor, lights, blow up pumpkin globes, ghoslty decorations (scary stuff) adorniing peoples yards and home fronts. What a racket! Is it more than Christmas?
We went through 10 bags of candy, not an all time record but not bad. I hope everyone had a great time. I know my kids did!!
About the same as last year. Fewer bell ringers but bigger groups. Only one gaggle of middle school girls. Where’d they all go?
We had a better than expected turnout between noon and five (mostly gradschoolers), then a few groups of teens until 8pm. Have a third of a big bowl left over. I noticed a lot of my neighbors had decorations too. I also read somewhere that Halloween is the second largest holiday in the US…?
Sorry – Grade Schoolers. Did see a great pair of Dads dressed as Princess Leia and Obi One Knobi (SP?)
Yes, Elaine, we also expected more traffic this year, with it being on a Saturday (longer hours) and with the weather being nicer. But it was Bonnie who decided to pick up a “couple of more bags” of candy (which she stuck to).
Luckily she could give the leftovers to our older son to take back to his fiancee and the rest of the Notre Dame marching band (which was in San Antonio for Halloween).
Maybe Halloween parties slowed down the traffic. If the parents had to get to a party they would have had to stop trick or treating early. Who knows?