Trick or Treat!

We weren't sure how our neighborhood would do with trick or treating.  We've never had a house with a door that could be knocked on.  I couldn't get some pumpkins in time, so I printed some bats and put them on the door with glue dots, to try to encourage children to knock on the door.  Then we had some other issues - we have a giant storm door, and it's hard to hear knocking, and then I had to open the storm door into children. 

It's clear that we get enough children trick or treaters that next year, it will make sense to sit out for a couple hours and hand out candy, rather than making them come up the steps to the door. We may get some orange and black balloons, which the stores have up to designate that people can trick or treat at them.

I also rationed candy.  I don't normally do this, but it worked out pretty well to hand out 2 pieces to everyone.  I don't police adults who take candy and they don't really annoy me. Teenagers who are barely dressed up and in it for the free candy? They don't really bug me either.  Kids who didn't say "trick or treat" or "thank you" did annoy me, and anyone who just held out their bag got a stern, "what do you say?" and then a "your welcome!" If they didn't say thank you.  Parents overall were good about correcting children who reached into the bowl or who didn't say thank you, were good about making sure their kids got back so I could open the door, and were generally pleasant. 

So I would say our first halloween was a success, but lacking a doorbell and a porch light may have made it appear like we weren't home to some kids.