It really was a dark and stormy night for trick-or-treaters in Cambridge this Halloween. With the less-than-ideal weather, events were a little less festive than normal, as most people focused on getting to where they were going.

The Square was largely empty, with relatively few costumed figures venturing out into the wind and rain.

But those who did come out expressed scorn toward homebodies choosing to enjoy a dry evening at home in front of the fireplace.

"Boston people can just be so boring," said Cambridge resident Lisa Mount. Mount, dressed as a lion with a huge fuzzy mask perched on her head, was on her way to meeting her boyfriend in the Square for a Halloween dinner.

Gloomy spirits seemed to penetrate the moods of even the holiday's spectators. Mount said that as she rode the T from her job at the YMCA in Central Square in full costume, hardly anyone gave her a second look.

"I was just trying to shake things up. I guess I failed," she said.

But some were able to retain sight of the holiday's real objective.

"I just want a lot of candy," said 9-year-old Jacob Graham.

Dressed as a wounded ninja, complete with a fake Chinese star glued to the right side of his face, Jacob said the rain made no difference in his decision to go trick-or-treating.

"I would have gone even it if had snowed," agreed his friend Zach, also 9, who said he was dressed as a "geek from the future."

Their mothers agreed.

"They've been talking about this all week, and couldn't be talked out of it. Besides, it's been worse," said one mother.

Sean Baylor, a 6-year-old dressed as Harry Potter, complete with bandaged black glasses and purple lightening bolt scar, also expressed his excitement.

"My mommy never buys me this much candy," he said.

Back at Harvard, not all students were cooped up in their rooms studying for midterms.

Dunia S. Dickey '03 and her roommates chose to celebrate the holiday by hosting a get-together, complete with apple cider and chocolate bars hanging from the ceiling.

"I don't want to out trick-or-treating," she explained. "We're just going to play some silly games, like bobbing for apples."