You should've done like some friends of ours here have done for years: they put the bowl of candy at the end of a darkened hallway the front door opens onto. The kids have to go in & get it - while people stand in dark rooms next to the hallway, dropping pots & pans and freaking them out. It's the most popular house on the block for trick or treaters. :D

That's pretty sad. All the kids who came to my door were very cute and very small (most could barely talk).

I hate the jaded nature of things...

That is so awesome, chewie! :D

Zero trick-or-treaters here. I live in a big grey house that is not at street level. On Halloween it is easily the spookiest looking place on the block.

In past years I have made surly teenagers say "trick or treat" and if they didn't I'd close the door on them. The yard on the sides of the house and the backyard are so dark and creepy that nobody has ever retaliated. (It would be hilarious if when I take the dogs out in a few minutes there was some egging or other halloween vandalizing that's happened overnight.)

I know how you feel Smart Dalek and fbk. Sometimes I make the older kids say trick-or-treat. What a bunch of ingrates. ;)

We had about 40 trick-or-treater's. My parents had 75 before 7:45! I saw tons of great costumes. I saw the best Freddy Kruger and some other very scary zombies, monsters, and vampires. And of course, cute kitties and princesses galore. Some transvestites too. Husband stayed home and manned the door while I went with the kids. My sister pulled her child in a wagon and went up with the hoard of kids. She reminded them to say trick-or-treat and thank-you in her way that isn't bossy or annoying. I just told my kids, you have to say "trick-or-treat" or you won't get any candy. My little one would follow up with a, "happy Halloween!" after his thank-you as he ran away to the next door. He was thrilled.

We also practiced and did a couple mock runs with the kids before we headed out.

It went pretty OK with us. We only had 10 or so groups of kids, so we've got lots of candy. One little girl was like, "I don't want that - I only want chocolate!" but whatever. There were some tiny little kids in there own costumes, but mostly it looked like they were in that Walmart vinyl stuff.

My last building had a sign up list for tenants who were willing to give out candy. I did one year, but not that many kids showed up. What kids also do in NYC is go to the various neighborhood shops (which apparently was bumped up from the Thanksgiving ritual described in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn) which give out stuff--the bagel place I was in last evening handed out cinnamon-raisin to the kids. My super put out a box of candy which was almost depleted when I came in.

Yesterday I passed by my laundromat to see a group of about a dozen costumed kids shouting, "I said trick or treat, motherfucker, ya don't got nuttin'?"

The owner shouted back, "Get the fuck outta heah, you fuckin' animals, or I'll call the cops!"

Yesterday I passed by my laundromat to see a group of about a dozen costumed kids shouting, "I said trick or treat, motherfucker, ya don't got nuttin'?"

The owner shouted back, "Get the fuck outta heah, you fuckin' animals, or I'll call the cops!"

I'm picturing this scene illustrated by Will Elder as I wipe away the tears of laughter. Top shelf!

I guess he could have thrown boxes of detergent at them.