We probably had about 350 trick-or-treaters last night. The peak was between seven and eight pm. It dropped off sharply after about 8:30, which was good because I was running out of candy.
Costumes, by volume: the preponderance of older (grade school) children split among three costumes: zombies, pirates and witches. Pirate was a favorite for either gender.
For the toddlers and the children being carried: princess or honeybee for the girls; dog, cow and dragon for the boys.
A nice showing of Hogwarts students. Three boys with dark hair and suits, who considerately also wore nametags identifying them as Jonas Brothers. Several vampires of the more general type; no Edwards, Bills or Erics.
Best costume; a balloon booth. She wore a balsa wood booth with a sign that said “Balloons for sale” and carried a bunch of helium balloons. Her design; her father helped build it. Most creative of the evening.
Most interesting exchange:
Me: “You’re a doll?”
Her: “Dead Raggedy Ann.”
Me. Oh, Dead Raggedy Ann because Live Raggedy Ann is just so. . .”
Her: “Old.”
Best variation on “Trick or Treat.” Two moppets in dragon costumes chorused, “Happy Trick or Treat Day!”
Best funny adult thing: My neighbor Jamie brought Maya and her niece over. Jamie was in costume. She also had two of her friend’s children (the friend was holding down the fort and passing out candy.) After Maya got candy, the friend’s child said, “I want to go to Jamie’s house. I want to see Jamie.”
Jamie said, “Honey, I am Jamie.”
Trick or Treat for Unicef: Only two young women (the balloon booth and her friend) were doing this.
Best correction of my costume: Trick or treater, to me, “You’re not a witch. You’re a druid.”
Best excuse for the incomplete costume, “I’m a witch, but when I run my hat comes off.”
Fun fact: When I let the little marauders choose, the high-sour candies like Lemonheads, Twizzlers, and gummies were more popular than chocolate among the school-age kids.