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Michael White of Aurora writes:

Here are some things wrong with the current state of Trick-or-Treating on Halloween: 1. Parents on cell phones following behind groups of kids carrying three bags saying “ I’ve got three more in the car. They are too little to keep up.” No Trick-or-Treat, no please, and no thank you. If your kids are too little, take them home and do something fun for them there.
2. Walk. The weather was nice. The gas you wasted could have been used to buy your own candy.
3. People driving from neighborhood to neighborhood. If you feel unsafe in your neighborhood, take it back.
4. Parents in costumes Trick-or-Treating behind their kids. Buy your own treats.
5. Parents Trick-or-Treating with kids in strollers. Kids that young should be at home doing something fun with their parents, not being used as an excuse for the parent to not buy their own treats.
6. Large groups of kids pushing each other for position with no Trick-or-Treat, and no thank you.
7. Kids dressed as armed robbers, complete with realistic guns.
I enjoy Halloween, but I can see why fewer people are opening their doors for the Trick-or-Treating. Adults should not use kids as props so they can get free candy. If adults want to have fun, stay home and answer your door. Throw a party for your kids and their friends and family. Teach your children manners. Next year I may not be so nice.

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

Don't forget to add male teenage thugs between 15-18, without costumes who knock on the door and don't even say trick or treat.
They just want what you got, and are not afraid to vandalize your home if you don't "Pay Up".

The Horror!!!!

Excellent and thoughtful post, Michael, and a welcome respite from the average post. However, you could have had a bigger impact if you had called some people foul names.

I have to agree with Michael, most of the kids this year were horrible. Now I remember why I didn’t hand out treats last year. There were quite a few kids and parents that actually did say thank you…yet, the ones who were rude and obnoxious far outweighed the nice ones. Especially the older ones who got bent out of shape when I threw a couple pieces of candy in their bag and not the whole bowl. They acted as if they were the only ones out and I should give them everything I had.

As for the idiot parents who drove up and down the street, get out and walk. We almost had two mini vans run over kids because they were driving on the wrong side of the street and right up on the sidewalk.

This will be the last year for me giving out treats. I cannot and will not give out treats in good faith knowing that the majority of the young one and adults coming to my door acted selfish and rude. Sorry to the ones who were nice, but the others have ruined what is supposed fun and entertaining.

We did not see any of the problems listed above, just little neighbor kids doing a block or two of old-fashioned trick-or-treating. Each group was accompanied by at least one adult and every one made certain that "thank you" was loud and clear. There wasn't a car in sight.

We turned off the porch light at eight and only gave out packs of animal crackers. (Maybe the older kids decided it wasn't worth the effort.)

Every grandparent out there ought to talk to their grown children and grandchildren about Mark's suggestions. This is such a cherished tradition, it's a shame to see it fade away.

I meant Michael's suggestions.

I didn't realize it was Election Day.

I was raised a Jehovah’s Witness so I never got to participate in trick-or-treating or dressing up. Once I left home at the age of 19 I dressed up and went to adult parties. That continued for almost two decades so it wasn’t until a couple years ago that I stayed home and handed out candy. I have maintained the good manners my parents instilled in me and have been appalled at the lack of manners in the kids at my door. The last few years I would verbally remind them as they walked away. This year I remedied it by posting signs. The most prominent one said, “Remember your manners: say ‘Thank You’ please.” Another one said ‘Chicken Feet’ because it rhymes with trick-or-treat. The third simply said ‘Happy Halloween.’ By the time I answered the door they knew something was expected of them. Most of the exchanges went like this,
“Trick-or-treat!”
“What do you say?”
“Please!”
“What else do you say?”
“Chicken Feet!”
“What else do you say?”
“Happy Halloween!”
“Thank you!” They responded with glee after I dropped candy in their bags.

It was an important lesson in manners and the chicken feet added an element of fun they weren’t expecting. I saved my signs and I’m going to hang them next year too.

You guys who had trick-or-treaters were lucky. At best we had 1 group of kids all night, which is about normal for us. We live on a wooded side street, so there is not much incentive to come our way. Knowing this we still have the candy and carved pumpkins.
I know several people throughout the area have comment that there were fewer kids this year. And it's not just in Colorado. Back east my Mother said she had no one. I wonder if the traditional going from door to door is phasing out. If so, that would be a sad one--lot of great memories going out half the night and loading up on goodies. Hope it's not leaving us.

I thought this was the best year yet. We had about 60 trick or treaters ,I know because we made up goodie bags with candy and prizes this year and I had 2 left at the end of the evening,I had 62.

Even the older kids were polite and fun. we were joking and they were very polite.

I gave every trick or treater 2 goodie bags if they were dressed as soldiers.They would salute and say thank you maam..

No Halloween isn't what it used to be when we were kids ,but word still gets around as to what is the best house to go to for goodies.

I swear this is true: One year, when we lived in California (gasp!), a group including a pregnant woman came to our door. She wasn't in costume but requested candy ... "for the baby."

We shut the door in her face.

And *this* illustrates the fundamental problem with the "trick-or-treat" tradition of Halloween: It encourages begging, rather than work.

In fact, one could go so far as to conclude that the nature of the holiday (not unlike the tradition of expecting gifts at Christmas) is ultimately socialist.

Halloween id changing indeed, Charles B, Sharon B and dmz was handing out condoms and clean needles this year…

And Uno was first in line...naughty girl...

Girl? You’re pretty sick, and you didn’t even have to wear a mask, leatherface.

Miles, you're an idiot. It only became 'begging' and obnoxious when the Christians decided to join in. Pagans know the history and tradition behind trick or treating. Christians just want to mooch free candy and denounce 'this pagan holiday' as their fat ignorant little kids eat it up.

Uno:

You're not a girl?

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