Hellobee Boards

I let my son decide. The first time we had the opportunity, he was three and he didn't really know what it was about, so he didn't last past two houses on our street.

Then, the following year he decided he wanted to hand out the candy and scare the guests with the fog machine. Last year, he decided he wanted to TOT with the neighbors.

Yes! I’m so excited for this year. We went last year when she was 2.5 to a few houses and she loved it, but it was hard because she had a peanut/walnut allergy and couldn’t eat any of the candy she got. This year we’ve done SLIT for her allergies so she can eat anything and she is very excited about it.

Yes we’ve taken her since she was 2! Our preschool does a trunk and treat so I’m curious to check that out.

Yes, we've been taking DS since he was 3. He's 5 this year. We will just go around our neighbourhood.

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: We have each year and will continue to. He's almost 4. My son lives to be out in our neighborhood meeting people, and to deny him the one day a year in which he can go up to all the houses and interact with people would make him so sad. Even in the instance of a severe allergy, I'd still want my child to be able to participate in such a fun ritual by walking around. He'll be allowed a few pieces of candy rather than the whole stash, but it's not even about that for him; he loves the decorations and costumes! Our then 3-month-old daughter will also come with because it'll be a fun family evening.

Of course! I always loved trick or treating growing up. Halloween is also my daughter’s bday so there’s that. We just leave out a bowl of candy and take our losses if some kid swipes it all. Her daycare did trick or treating at school last year so they got to go twice which was extra fun.

Yes. We took DS the first time just before he turn 2. He liked it but got tired quickly. Last year (just before 3) he really loved it and also enjoyed the fireworks going off around the neighborhood.

My son will be 2.5 and we go to a free, huge church event 5 minutes away - there are halloween games and bounce houses, and kids get candy at all the games, win or lose. He will use one of his dress-up costumes (fireman, doctor) or use the hand-me-down skeleton PJs. I kind of want to dress me and baby as rosie the riveter but I don't want to buy stuff.

There isn't a lot of trick-or-treating on my street, but if there was, we would definitely go. DH prefers to stay home and I prefer to go out, so we will split up.

@ChiCalGoBee: this explains DD! She doesn’t have allergies but I relate to the kids wanting to interact and see the costumes and say TRICK OR TREAT! Once I learned about the teal pumpkin I started getting candy without nuts. It’s not something I thought about not having experienced it but I want to be more aware of!

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Technically no. Our neighborhood has a parade in our local park where the kids dress up and get candy. We will so that. DS will be almost 3 on Halloween.

Yep, but we’ll be on a trip to Hawaii so we’re tagging along with our friends who live there! They’ll end up with most of our loot because we leave the next day! 5.5, 3 and a baby.

Yep! LO is 6 and this will be our 5th year taking her. The first year was just her in a bunny hoodie and little leggings in her stroller, walking around a few blocks while we said hi to neighbors and declined treats. We've made our loop bigger and let her keep more and more of her goodies each year. For the past 3 years or so we've also gone with neighborhood friends and pulled the kids in our wagon so they can hop in/out between houses easily and have a little buddy with them. Our neighborhood does a good job and some houses go all out so it can be as big of a deal or as easy as we like.
I make a batch of crock-pot chili that day and our friends come over for a bowl before we head out. We buy glow stick necklaces for the group and make our rounds before heading home for (usually late) bedtimes.

We leave a bowl out with treats. For the last several years we've been getting nut-free chocolates as well as some kind of non-candy treat to include in the bowl. We just leave it out on our porch with the light on while we are out doing our thing and usually have leftover to dole out to kids after we get home.

For sure! I think when first was a baby we just walked around (we had a neighborhood that decorated a lot so it was just festive). At one we basically did the same although she went up to some places that just had candy out (too shy otherwise). By two she was into it and now it’s tradition! We just love holiday stuff so we’ll also go to a couple other events where they can use their costumes - they don’t really eat much of the candy but they love getting it!

ETA I love it too because we had so much fun running the neighborhood when I was little and it reminds me of simple times