I must be weird-grew up only being allowed to trick or treat at a handful of houses, only people we knew well. So that is what I allowed my children to do, only trick or treat at homes of people we knew well.
I love seeing little princesses, and pirates, etc. We learned to take down all decorations outside by 8pm, and turned off outside lights and even inside lights. We refused to open door after about 8pm. No little ones should be out trick or treating after that time of night.
Now we don't have hardly any trick or treaters, the town parade no longer goes by our house. So Halloween isn't fun anymore-sure miss seeing those little ones dressed up.
Now we do have little grands so we go and walk them through a town parade (only for little ones with adults accompanying them). The shop owners stay open just to hand out candy. It's much safer this way.
Kat