November 01, 2012
Halloween 2012

Halloween was a bit tougher this year due to my recent bike crash, but we did our best to carry out our traditions. This is our eighth year of handing out full size candy. The magic continues to impress. Children are wowed and often shocked at the idea of receiving and full size candy bar when the rest of the night is filled with minis. The cries of 'awesome' and 'look Mom, it's a big one' are great. I highly recommend you give it a try.

Michele made a special Cruft Manor pumpkin!

As you Loyal Cruft Readers demand, once again, I made a timelapse movie of all of the trick or treaters as I handed them candy. I have a new GoPro camera, and it made the process pretty simple.

Halloween 2012 Timelapse from Michael Pusateri on Vimeo.

As I have in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. I asked every person what they were dressed as and wrote down the answers. I am careful to ask what they are, accepting their answers rather than interpreting what I see.

I now have eight years of data to compare.

Here are the top ten costumes for the last eight years compared.

It appears that Cat has leaped from the bottom to the top to grab the top honors from Witch. With generic Princess in the top 5 as well, I have to say that many young ladies are taking the easy way out, simply grabbing a hat from the closet and putting on weird make-up. Some of the ladies really stepped up their game though. I like the Weeping Angel from Doctor Who, Zombie Girl Scout, Video Game Console, Bride of Frankenstein, and Pizza Delivery Girl. The boys did OK, with a few flashes of brilliance like Starbucks Cup and Carl from Up.


Starbucks Cup


Two Zombies with mustache


Mexican hat wearing green person

Almost everyone had a costume this year, which is great. Only one person came close to the perilous "nothing" answer. BTW, my shirt is safety pinned together because I have a broken collarbone and can't lift my right arm. Michele cut the shirt so I can get into it easily.

After giving out ~250 full size candies, we ran out about 8:30PM and closed up. My daughters were still out roaming, as teenagers do.

This year's complete costume list of 231 people:

10 Cat
9 Witch
8 Spiderman
6 Princess
6 Skeleton
6 Tinkerbell
5 Ninja
5 Vampire
4 Candy Corn
4 Captain America
4 Ladybug
4 Pirate
4 Zombie
3 Buzz Lightyear
3 Cowboy
3 Darth Vader
3 Iron Man
3 Joker
3 Little Red Riding Hood
3 Superman
2 80s Girl
2 Angel
2 Angry Bird (Red)
2 Batman
2 Bumblebee
2 Cop
2 Devil
2 Dracula
2 Frankenstein
2 Ghost
2 GI Joe
2 Harry Potter
2 Hello Kitty
2 Mad Hatter
2 Michael Myers
2 Minnie Mouse
2 Nerd
2 Rapunzel
2 Scream
2 Snow White
2 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
2 Transformer
2 Werewolf
2 Zombie with mustache
1 "Robert"
1 Alice in Wonderland
1 Batgirl
1 Bee
1 Belle
1 Bloodsport
1 Bride of Frankenstein
1 Car Accident Victim
1 Carl from Up
1 Chucky
1 Chucky Girl
1 Cowboy Riding Ostrich
1 Cutie (tangerine)
1 Dead Bride
1 Dead Iron Worker
1 Dead Skater
1 Death
1 Diet Coke Can
1 Dinosaur
1 Dragon Ninja
1 Egyptian Princess
1 Elmo
1 Gangster
1 Ghost Guy
1 Greaser
1 Hula Girl
1 Indian
1 Jason Voorhees
1 Karate Zombie
1 Knight
1 Krispy Creme Delivery Person
1 Lalaloopsy
1 Leatherface
1 Little Bo Peep
1 Little Girl
1 Luigi
1 Mario
1 Mater (Cars)
1 Merida
1 Mermaid
1 Mexican Indian
1 Mexican Person
1 Michael Jackson
1 Midnight Witch
1 Mobster
1 Mouse
1 Mummy from Monster High
1 Navy SEAL
1 Ninja Shadow
1 Owl
1 Pinkalicious
1 Pizza Delivery Girl
1 Pokemon Trainer Red
1 Prisoner
1 Psycho Nice Witch
1 Pumpkin Spider Witch
1 Robber
1 Robin Hood (Animated Version)
1 Run Over Victim
1 Sailor
1 Scarecrow
1 Scary DJ
1 Sheep
1 SpongeBob SquarePants
1 Starbucks Cup
1 Supergirl
1 The Grudge
1 Thomas the Tank Engine
1 Tiger
1 Tigger
1 Troll
1 UCLA Student
1 Vampire from Monster High
1 Video Game Console
1 Volleyball Player
1 Warlock
1 Wednesday (Adams Family)
1 Weeping Angel
1 Werewolf from Monster High
1 Wolf
1 Wolf Spirit
1 Wolverine
1 Wonder Woman
1 Zombie Football Player
1 Zombie Girl Scout
1 Zombie Witch
1 Zorro

Posted by michael at November 01, 2012 01:31 PM



Comments

Thank god for traditions. As the father of the Weeping Angel, I am filled with pride at her accomplishment of being called out in your intro.

Posted by: Ken [] on November 1, 2012 3:18 PM

As Cruft regular, my heart is warmed by this continuing tradition. May it ever be thus.

Posted by: Bill B [http://www.squidly.com] on November 1, 2012 4:52 PM

Thank you for your service.

Posted by: Bribo [] on November 2, 2012 9:55 AM

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night (nor broken bones, dislocations, bruises or abrasions), stays the The Cruft Candy Courier from the swift completion of his appointed rounds.

Congratulations on your feat.

Posted by: Mom [http://momonthealert.com] on November 2, 2012 5:01 PM

It's always fun to read this one. Thanks Mike! Heal fast.

Posted by: Little Kenny [http://littlekenny.com] on November 6, 2012 7:08 PM
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