For some reason, I am really stuck on the fact that I want LO to trick-or-treat around her own neighborhood. It is one of the only times we actually interact with our neighbors, and I wish that was more commonplace. We do attend local trunk-or-treat gatherings that take place during the day, but on Halloween night, I want her walking around her own neighborhood spending time with our neighbors. I just think its really important to try and foster camaraderie with our own local community! Anyone else feel this way?
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Nope. We trick or treat with close friends and rotate neighborhoods. But we interact with our neighbors in other ways. I'm not sure knocking on a door and asking for candy once a year really fosters a community.
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We haven't been able to because the weather has been so bad the last few years. We were going to this year even though DH didnt want to (because he doesn't want to socialize since we're short on time with LOs' bedtimes)... but looks like more rain and cold... we'll probably take the kids to my church carnival.
We talk to our neighbors outside of ToT time... so I'm not concerned about it.
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We do it because I want to preserve what Halloween was to us as children.
We see a lot of parents take their kids to the malls and I am a total snob about that. I shouldn't be, but I am. Trick or Treat like a REAL Halloween-er!
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I've never really thought about it. We're going to a friend's neighborhood this year since Halloween is on a Saturday. When it's during the week we'll ToT in our own neighborhood just for the convenience and fact that LO goes to bed relatively early during the week.
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Nope! We live on an odd private way behind a very commercial part of town. No one trick or treats in our neighborhood.
I make little treats for the few neighbors we have in our building but I take J trick or treating at a friend's neighborhood or go to my parents' neighborhood. -
It's freezing here this year so we're only taking her to our immediate neighbors who we know. I love the idea of community-building Halloween but we always have bad weather. We do most of our neighbor bonding in the summer over barbecues and bonfires and seeing each other on walks around the block.
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@Truth Bombs: Right, one time a year is not enough, but it would be combined with other days, of course! They are just few and far between, so I want to take advantage of ones that are already built into the year (as opposed to something like planning a block party where people would have to make room in their schedules)
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I think it would be fun! But we live in a big building and no one seems to trick or treat here. When the kids get older maybe we'll trick or treat in my parents' neighborhood. Sort of the same thing because we know many neighbors there too.
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@.twist.: Yes, this too!
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last year we drove to another neighbourhood because on our street, it was mostly buildings and it would be no fun to go in there and see if people were giving out candy (which they probably were not). This year we still to our street because we live on a street with houses! In the future, if he wants to rotate with friends, i'd be okay with that. I think i did that a few times as a kid, but most of the friends i went with were in my neighbourhood anyway.
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We trick or treat in our neighborhood because it is EASY! We love seeing the kids in our neighborhood run around in their costumes. It's not a good time to mingle or chat with neighbors as your kid runs up to get candy and runs away. I find the older adults in our neighborhood love seeing the kids on Halloween.
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I feel the same way.
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We definitely enjoy trick or treating in the neighborhood and bumping into neighbors and friends from school. If someone invited us to their neighborhood one year, I wouldn't be against it though.
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It's different because we live in the city full of big multiple unit buildings, so while I am making an effort to take part in the Halloween activities, we won't tot at our neighbors. Instead we will tot at the stores on Main Street (@.twist.: totally agree that it's not the same!!) and go to the community Halloween party Saturday morning.
If we lived in a suburban neighborhood I would be more inclined to go to our neighbors but wouldn't be against going to a friend's neighborhood either.
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I turned down invites to do other things to give out candy in my neighborhood. I love being home on Halloween night.
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No, but I think it's important to participate in your own neighborhood's ToT if you're home. DH's boss lives in a really posh neighborhood where the homeowners pass out candy and create haunted houses like on Modern Family. When our LO is old enough we will definitely Trick or Treat there because that sounds way fun.
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We will ToT in our neighborhood if we are home, but this year have made plans to go to my sister's house this year so my parents can participate with all the grandkids.
We interact with our neighbors quite a lot all year round and the last few years we have had an impromptu get together on Halloween after ToTing. We bring lawn chairs and wine and sit out in front of one of the neighbors house to visit. It's fun and I'll be sorry to miss it this year.
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Yes I agree! It is the best time of the year to meet our neighbors.
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Yes! We live on a private road and we're often playing outside or going for walks, so we actually see our neighbors a decent amount. I know they really love it when we come trick-or-treating and get to see the kids in their costumes!
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My MIL's birthday is Halloween so we ToT in the neighborhood of whichever family member is hosting the party. It's never been our home so our LOs haven't ToT in our neighborhood before.
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I think when the kids are little, it doesn't make a lot of difference where you go. When they get older and want to go alone, then yes, I think it's important for my son to go in our neighborhood.
We're the crazy people with the decorations all over the front lawn though, we like to stay home and give out the candy to those that dare weave through the giant spiderweb, though.
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Yes, I very much agree. I don't mind giving candy to kids from outside the neighborhood but I think it's important to meet the neighbors.
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Two of the three neighborhoods we've lived in recently have been really big into Halloween, it's so much fun. The girls trick or treat with their friends, but you run into lots that you know but have just been too busy to KIT. The one neighborhood we lived in that wasn't that way just wasn't fun to go ToT in, I'd prob go to a diff neighborhood if we still lived there but I'm glad our neighborhood now is down for festivities.
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I think so. One I think it is good to develop those relationships. Our neighborhood is smaller but we do stuff with neighbors all the time. Two, I don't want to drive. DH and I plan on walking around with a cocktail in hand.
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I think it is a good idea!
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I'm looking forward to trick or treating in our neighborhood! We have not had the chance to meet neighbors yet. We just moved and until recently it's been very hot so folks haven't been out and about. It seems like a good way to get introduced. We got to know some of our neighbors from our last neighborhood better on Halloween last year. I am not "against" going to other neighborhoods or anything but I like the traditional aspect of ToTing in your own neighborhood.
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Our street is very quiet; only 5 kids & all under the age of 4. The rest of the neighbors are super nice older people. I feel so bad going to another neighborhood, when all these nice grandparents are ready for Halloween - it feels like we're ditching them.
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In our situation, I feel strongly about it.We get together with a few of our neighbors and have a ton of food, pass out candy, and then hang out for the rest of the night together. It's one of the handful of times during the year we do this together and it's so much fun. Next year we will be in a new neighborhood and I'm not sure how I'll feel about it then, but I'll probably do what's easiest.
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Our neighborhood is perfect for trick or treating so we're definitely sticking around here. As a kid, some of my friends were driven to the 'rich' neighborhoods/houses to trick or treat (and get the 'good' candy) and I think that's a cop out.
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@.twist.: yes to this! We do the mall stuff, but on the night of, I'll look forward to sticking to houses in our neighborhood. We live in the city and our friends in the suburbs invited us to their "better" neighborhood, but we like our more urban surroundings, thanks!
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We don't live in a neighborhood, so no. We live in an apartment building and I don't want him trick-or-treating here. We're probably going over to another neighborhood a few blocks away.
He also went to a trunk-or-treat at DH's work today! I also like when the local businesses do the business trick-or-treat, but they're doing it tomorrow from 11-5 so I can't bring him! why do it during normal business hours?! -
It's nice to trick or treat at your neighbors' houses, but I don't think it needs to be an either/or decision. You could do a few houses nearby and also go to a different neighborhood or to local businesses that are handing out candy.
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We will trick or treat here because we have a great development for it. No reason to go elsewhere. But I don't know our neighbors. Lol
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Yes!!!! I always feel weird when someone I don't know comes to my door.
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We live in the perfect neighborhood for trick or treating so we always TOT here. We know most of our neighbors and they all participate.
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I just wanted to come back and say that it was so fun to trick or treat in our neighborhood! We met a bunch of our neighbors that we haven't gotten to meet yet and they were all so nice!
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I just think that it is important to go in a neighbourhood. I don't love the changing tradition to ToT-ing through business areas, in parking lots, etc. I am all for kids going house to house!
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I'm kind of torn on this one.
I really love trick or treating in our neighborhood and love seeing our neighbors and their kids. We had DD1's bff come TOTing with us last night and they don't live in our neighborhood but it was so fun to see them go door to door together.
On the other hand, part of me feels funny when tons of people I don't know show up at my door and peek in my house. I think it's ok with little kids but with teenagers I get creeped out, like they're casing my house for a burglary.
When I was in graduate school I lived on the Main Street in a town surrounded my rural communities so tons of kids were driven in to TOT in my neighborhood. I spent over $100 on candy and had to turn the lights out after half an hour. There were soooo many kids. It felt kind of like people were taking advantage of my generosity and not reciprocating. Not like I had kids then, but still.
I like the give and take of neighborhood TOTing. -
@Adira: same here! Our neighbors were so thrilled to see LO in his costume!
I think it's important to stay in our neighborhood. When we were out yesterday, we saw so many cars, letting their kids hop in and out as they made their way through the neighborhood. That just rubs me the wrong way. I didn't recognize any of the cars or kids, but to me, that's not what it's about.
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