Dear Abby on Trick-or-Treating

[Kariachi]

Discussed this with the family, we're in agreement- if you show up at the house, in costume, on the 31st, asking for candy, and we have candy, you're good. Now that I've said that, somebody will show up at 1 am... 

The idea of turning someone away because you don't want to give away candy yet is so foreign as to be odd.

Also, in my area two of the major towns have ToT hours, but the rest of the county has no set times.

[Jones]

I just heard on the radio the announcement regarding ToTing in the next town over (about 30 minutes away) Time starts at....drum roll please....3:00 PM!

Sure beats the 4:00 in my town. Kids and I might head on over there for a half hour then come back to finish up the night by 5:30.   

[Giggity]

My town not only sets hours for TOT--from 5 to 8 pm, but this year, for reasons I can't fathom, they have changed the day. Official TOT will take place on Tuesday, the 30th, instead of Wednesday, the 31st. One place where I lived as a kid did this as well. I've no idea why. One of the neighboring towns has done the same. Makes absolutely no sense. Last year, TOT was on the 31st.

Halloween is October 31. Since when did the date become negotiable?

Lots of cities move it it's on a Sunday.

But that's not the 31st. It's not Halloween if it happens on any day that's not October 31. You can call it whatever else you want, but Halloween is October 31. That's just how it is.

[Jones]

They didn't move Halloween though, just part of the celebration. As mentioned previously, this happens all the time for "little" holidays like Columbus Day and MLK Day.

[Sharnita]

I'm pretty sure that in Detroit there is a curfew of 8 pm for kids 15 and under and 9 pm for kids 16 and under tonight and tomorrow because of issues with crime.

[Diane AKA Traska]

My town not only sets hours for TOT--from 5 to 8 pm, but this year, for reasons I can't fathom, they have changed the day. Official TOT will take place on Tuesday, the 30th, instead of Wednesday, the 31st. One place where I lived as a kid did this as well. I've no idea why. One of the neighboring towns has done the same. Makes absolutely no sense. Last year, TOT was on the 31st.

Halloween is October 31. Since when did the date become negotiable?

Lots of cities move it it's on a Sunday.

But that's not the 31st. It's not Halloween if it happens on any day that's not October 31. You can call it whatever else you want, but Halloween is October 31. That's just how it is.

Don't offices hold their Christmas parties on days other than Christmas?  Same situation here.

[Donovan]

I've always lived where there were set hours for ToTing.  I just checked and it is 5:30 to 7 - and they just changed it to Sat night because of Hurricane Sandy's weather.

Not sure why I feel this way but after reading the letter I got the feeling there were set hours (overextending the holiday) and I also think there might be past problems with the letter writer and the family because of the way she described the children.

[Sophia]

I don't understand the problem.  It is simple.

Was the light ON?

If yes, they were ready to hand out candy.
If no, they were not ready to hand out candy.

[Diane AKA Traska]

I don't understand the problem.  It is simple.

Was the light ON?

If yes, they were ready to hand out candy.
If no, they were not ready to hand out candy.

Again, not all areas are that binary.  Around here, "the light" refers to any visible light within the structure of the house.  *Any*, nightlights included if they can be seen from the street.

[Rohanna]

Well, you definately live in an extreme area for that and I'd consider bringing it up with the city to see if they can do some "public awareness" about the issue in the schools/newspaper/radio- maybe with some volunteer neighbourhood patrols for the first year to redirect kids.

[snowdragon]

Well, you definately live in an extreme area for that and I'd consider bringing it up with the city to see if they can do some "public awareness" about the issue in the schools/newspaper/radio- maybe with some volunteer neighbourhood patrols for the first year to redirect kids.

It's that way with me too and we do advertise "porch light out, no candy there." in the town I live in. Teachers do a lesson with kids, Churches do this, and so do community centers. It's just obnoxiously pervasive.  The kids still start as soon as they get home school, and will ring the bell til you come out - then candy is expected.

[Diane AKA Traska]

Well, you definately live in an extreme area for that and I'd consider bringing it up with the city to see if they can do some "public awareness" about the issue in the schools/newspaper/radio- maybe with some volunteer neighbourhood patrols for the first year to redirect kids.

Not likely in a big city (we've got enough murders to drown out many human interest stories...)  One of the reasons I'm looking forward to moving.

[Betelnut]

My town not only sets hours for TOT--from 5 to 8 pm, but this year, for reasons I can't fathom, they have changed the day. Official TOT will take place on Tuesday, the 30th, instead of Wednesday, the 31st. One place where I lived as a kid did this as well. I've no idea why. One of the neighboring towns has done the same. Makes absolutely no sense. Last year, TOT was on the 31st.

Halloween is October 31. Since when did the date become negotiable?

Lots of cities move it it's on a Sunday.

But that's not the 31st. It's not Halloween if it happens on any day that's not October 31. You can call it whatever else you want, but Halloween is October 31. That's just how it is.

Don't offices hold their Christmas parties on days other than Christmas?  Same situation here.

I disagree.  Sure, have a Halloween party on a convenient day/date (say the Saturday before Halloween).  But trick-or-treating?  It is only a one day deal and that day is October 31st.  Like St. Patrick's Day--which is ONLY March 17th.  Changing the date of trick-or-treating is just wrong, fundamentally WRONG.

[Diane AKA Traska]

Actually, originally the Celts held Samhain "on or around" the 31st of October, and it's only when it was absorbed and linked to All Saints Day that it was given a specific day on the calendar.

That said, if there was a blizzard that snowed in my family for Christmas, and we couldn't get together for gift giving until the 5th of January, my Christmas would be January 5th that year.  Because holidays aren't about the calendar, they're about community.

[Betelnut]

Actually, originally the Celts held Samhain "on or around" the 31st of October, and it's only when it was absorbed and linked to All Saints Day that it was given a specific day on the calendar.

That said, if there was a blizzard that snowed in my family for Christmas, and we couldn't get together for gift giving until the 5th of January, my Christmas would be January 5th that year.  Because holidays aren't about the calendar, they're about community.

Granted.  But would you go trick-or-treating on November 10th?