Woman Living in ‘Rich’ Neighborhood ‘Ruined’ Halloween for Thousands of Trick-or-Treaters

For many, Halloween is a nostalgic night filled with laughter, costumes, and community. But for one homeowner, the cherished tradition turned into chaos — forcing her to take matters into her own hands.

A Reddit user shared that her neighborhood of about 90 houses had long been known as “the rich neighborhood,” a major draw for trick-or-treaters. “We used to get about 700 to 1,000 kids a year,” she explained. “But in the last four years, it’s gotten ridiculous. There’s thousands of kids and their parents flooding the streets, people with hay in their rigs carrying kids around, trampling yards, littering candy wrappers everywhere.”

The joyful event soon became dangerous. “My daughter tripped and broke her arm… and there were so many people in our neighborhood, we couldn’t get out,” she recalled. “There were cars everywhere, lining the streets, parked in people’s yards. We had to wait until everyone left — about 1 a.m. — to go to the hospital. My daughter had to wait in pain for hours.”

That frightening night prompted her to act. Concerned for safety, she and other residents decided to limit who could enter the neighborhood. “I contacted the neighborhood community, and we managed to get some folks (cops mostly) to stand at the gate with a list and only let in certain people — folks that live here, family members, friends,” she wrote.

As a result, only about 300 children were allowed in that year, and the mess and congestion disappeared. Still, not everyone approved. When she told her sister about the plan, she was accused of “ruining thousands of kids’ Halloween.” Her sister reminded her that as children, they had to visit other neighborhoods to trick-or-treat because their trailer park “had no other kids.”

But for the homeowner, safety had to come first. “It was a hazard,” she said. “If there was a fire or an emergency, no one would be able to get in to help.”

Many commenters supported her decision. “What if instead of a broken arm, your daughter — or anyone else — had a heart attack, stroke, or anaphylactic reaction? Halloween in your neighborhood had become a health and safety hazard,” one person pointed out. Another agreed, adding, “If the number of people and vehicles obstruct essential services, then that’s beyond ridiculous.”