My town moved Trick-or-Treat to the 28th

[mhsjax]

I feel no need to watch any high school sports now that I am out of high school. Football, soccer, baseball, wresting, swimming, and so forth. If you (general you) do or if you want to watch your kids great but enough to cancel or move trick or treat for an entire city? Heck no.

And that is really the issue. Not whether or not you want to go watch a bunch of other people's kids play football but if that game is sooooo important that you have to arrange holidays. For a city to move trick or treat because of any sporting event, let alone a high school sporting event that shouldn't matter to anyone no longer in high school or with kids in high school, is ridiculous. No sporting event, including Manchester United, should be a reason to move trick or treat.

In our area, we have so many kids and most of them are really into sports that a Friday night football game would interfere with TOT. Even kids who aren't in high school yet go to the games/ They tail gait just like in pro football, minus the booze.

It really isn't a big mystery as to why in some areas they would move TOT. If they didn't no one would be doing it, they would rather be at the football game with everyone else in the community.

And then again, I assume you don't have kids. So it really isn't a big deal for you one way or another.

I have relatives that have to buy season tickets to their area football games and the whole town shuts down for the games, and this is all during the season, not just on Halloween.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Exactly my thinking. I couldn't imagine having so little to do that any high school event would be the most exciting thing to do in the city on a weekend. If it were I'd have to go find a more exciting place to live.

My thoughts exactly! Having a Friday night revolving around high school football? Gross.

 

[aprilgail2]

My thoughts exactly! Having a Friday night revolving around high school football? Gross.

I guess maybe if you live in the sticks and have nothing else to do then high school football is a big deal...but there is SO much more to do on a Friday night here than sit and watch a kids football game...heck even the players parents don't go half the time and forget the band parents-- 2 stay to work a concession stand the rest drop and go! Heck high school football is free and they still don't get people to go watch that!

 

[mhsjax]

I guess maybe if you live in the sticks and have nothing else to do then high school football is a big deal...but there is SO much more to do on a Friday night here than sit and watch a kids football game...heck even the players parents don't go half the time and forget the band parents-- 2 stay to work a concession stand the rest drop and go! Heck high school football is free and they still don't get people to go watch that!

Sad. the kids own parents don't even go to the games. Lovely example of being a parent.

I guess I may live in the "sitcks" and you call it. but at least we show up for our kids events.

 

[jrmasm]

I live in an area that moves ToT. This year is will be the 28th. For those that bemoan how our society is going to hell in a handbasket, it was moved when I was a kid and I'm in my 40's. ToT is always Tues, Wed or Thurs.

We also have set hours, 6-8. And as much as I love Halloween, I am so glad about the hours. I couldn't take the door bell ringing all day long.

 

[Angelhalo]

I told DH just the other day that if they try to "reschedule" Halloween in our area then I'm out. I'm a Christian. DH and I are in the praise band for goodness sakes! But, Halloween is Halloween! It should be ON Halloween! I LOVE handing out candy, and we decorate the outside of our home. We don't have any issues with the holiday religionwise. But, I'm not going to adjust my schedule because of a bunch of loonies. Halloween is on Sunday night. Anyone showing up at our door on any other day, will find no candy to be had. DH and I both have crazy busy schedules in the evenings. So each year we plan for Halloween night, to have available for candy giving. We can't just drop something else in the schedule and change it because some wingnuts don't want it on a "Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday...." Give me a break!

eta: Just read back and holy moly! I cannot believe or even begin to fathom moving a holiday because of High School football! NOR can I fathom an entire town going to the high school football game. I never even went to a game when I was IN high school and I certainly wouldn't be going back now unless I had a child on the team. Are these towns with populations of like 1,000 people? Really? Is there NOTHING else to do on a Friday night? I think I'd rather just have someone beat me senseless than have to go sit through a high school football game "just for the fun of it" and I live in the south.

 

[littlepeppers]

I live in an area that moves ToT. This year is will be the 28th. For those that bemoan how our society is going to hell in a handbasket, it was moved when I was a kid and I'm in my 40's. ToT is always Tues, Wed or Thurs.

We also have set hours, 6-8. And as much as I love Halloween, I am so glad about the hours. I couldn't take the door bell ringing all day long.

This thread is very interesting. The feelings, thoughts, & ideas are very different between people who live in the city & those that live in the country.

We live in the semi country. There are two towns w/i 15min with typical chain stores & resturants. I often find it shocking to hear how some people in more urban areas view things, but maybe it is just because I haven't been exposed to those things.

My DSIS lives in a big city & it freaks me out that their Dr. offices are open on the weekends, & that you can have scheduled surgeries at night & weekends, & there are dance lessons on Sat.

People should attend any event that their children are participating in. Little ones can wear their costumes to the game or the school can put on a ToT in the parking lot or have one on the field after the game. I like holidays to stay traditional & put on the correct dates.

Some parents today don't invest in their children. You get back only what you put in. If you don't show interest in them now, then you are teaching them to be disinterested in you later. When you are old & need them to take care & show interest in your needs, they will put you in a home & write you off.

 

[mhsjax]

This thread is very interesting. The feelings, thoughts, & ideas are very different between people who live in the city & those that live in the country.

We live in the semi country. There are two towns w/i 15min with typical chain stores & resturants. I often find it shocking to hear how some people in more urban areas view things, but maybe it is just because I haven't been exposed to those things.

My DSIS lives in a big city & it freaks me out that their Dr. offices are open on the weekends, & that you can have scheduled surgeries at night & weekends, & there are dance lessons on Sat.

People should attend any event that their children are participating in. Little ones can wear their costumes to the game or the school can put on a ToT in the parking lot or have one on the field after the game. I like holidays to stay traditional & put on the correct dates.
Some parents today don't invest in their children. You get back only what you put in. If you don't show interest in them now, then you are teaching them to be disinterested in you later. When you are old & need them to take care & show interest in your needs, they will put you in a home & write you off.

This is exactly what my pediatrician told me when my kids were young.

And I don't live in the sticks either. Just the south, but hey, to some that automatically puts you in the sticks.

 

[mhsjax]

I told DH just the other day that if they try to "reschedule" Halloween in our area then I'm out. I'm a Christian. DH and I are in the praise band for goodness sakes! But, Halloween is Halloween! It should be ON Halloween! I LOVE handing out candy, and we decorate the outside of our home. We don't have any issues with the holiday religionwise. But, I'm not going to adjust my schedule because of a bunch of loonies. Halloween is on Sunday night. Anyone showing up at our door on any other day, will find no candy to be had. DH and I both have crazy busy schedules in the evenings. So each year we plan for Halloween night, to have available for candy giving. We can't just drop something else in the schedule and change it because some wingnuts don't want it on a "Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday...." Give me a break!

eta: Just read back and holy moly! I cannot believe or even begin to fathom moving a holiday because of High School football! NOR can I fathom an entire town going to the high school football game. I never even went to a game when I was IN high school and I certainly wouldn't be going back now unless I had a child on the team. Are these towns with populations of like 1,000 people? Really? Is there NOTHING else to do on a Friday night? I think I'd rather just have someone beat me senseless than have to go sit through a high school football game "just for the fun of it" and I live in the south.

Ok, but do you have kids that play football? I don't yet, but I do understand that with our high school there are a lot of families with kids that do play. Or maybe they had kids that played at one time and for what ever reason want to go back. It is no biggie.

Frankly I would rather have someone beat me senseless than have to sit through another Halloween.

 

[marcyinPA]

Trick or Treat night has been on the Friday night before Halloween in my city for at least 30 years. It is held rain or shine, from 6-8pm.

It does conflict with football games for us (my DS15 is in the band) but we usually divide and conquer so our DS11 can go T or T'ing. We've even gone to other towns to T or T because everyone does different nights around here.

I've found that you just need to be flexible!

 

[jen0610]

We have a couple of smaller towns in our surrounding area, that have a larger Amish community. Out of respect for that portion of the towns communities, those towns have always moved Sunday night Halloween trick or treating over to Saturday night.

 

[design_mom]

I live in an area that moves ToT. This year is will be the 28th. For those that bemoan how our society is going to hell in a handbasket, it was moved when I was a kid and I'm in my 40's. ToT is always Tues, Wed or Thurs.

We also have set hours, 6-8. And as much as I love Halloween, I am so glad about the hours. I couldn't take the door bell ringing all day long.

I agree with you. I don't get the fervor and all this "if they move it, I'm out!" business. It's not that big of a deal as long as everyone (in your area) is doing it on the same day.

Our current town does T-or-T on the 31st (even this year), but where I grew up it was always on a week day (and never on the 31st). It was just how it was. "Beggar's Night" *was* the big day... and people might have "halloween parties" on October 31 if they did anything at all. It was a good chance to wear your costume twice.

 

[Buckeye Princess]

Growing up we never had Halloween on a Fri/Sat. It was always moved to a weeknight. The thought was that they didn't want children walking around streets on weekends when there was a higher chance of people being out driving while drinking.

 

[mhsjax]

Trick or Treat night has been on a Friday night in my city for at least 30 years. It is held rain or shine, from 6-8pm.

It does conflict with football games for us (my DS15 is in the band) but we usually divide and conquer so our DS11 can go T or T'ing. We've even gone to other towns to T or T because everyone does different nights around here.

I've found that you just need to be flexible!

I love that term, divide and conquer, we use it all the time. The problem here is that football is a big deal and in my area (the sticks, lets not forget) that there are a lot of kids that do play, we are a very desirable area for people with kids, is there are several high
schools in the area. Anyway, for parents around here, they wouldn't want to divide and conquer, both want to be at the game.

I don't have them there yet but when I do both of use will want to be at the game. Me because I want to and DH because of his job will most likely have to. I don't know what the answer is and I appreciate your post being the voice of reason.

 

[Rora]

It seems so strange that towns move it! I grew up in South Florida and we went out on Halloween, no matter what day it was.

Have a great Halloween, regardless of whatever day it winds up being!

 

[marcyinPA]

I guess maybe if you live in the sticks and have nothing else to do then high school football is a big deal...but there is SO much more to do on a Friday night here than sit and watch a kids football game...heck even the players parents don't go half the time and forget the band parents-- 2 stay to work a concession stand the rest drop and go! Heck high school football is free and they still don't get people to go watch that!

That is REALLY sad. The parents don't even stay? EVER? My DS15 is in the band, and we try to go to every home game. We don't normally go to the away games, unless the team makes play-offs. Most of the parents in our area are very supportive of their kids' activities, whether it be sports, drama, music...Of course, we have a very diversified population, so you do have the kids who are always unrepresented, but our high school also has over 4000 kids.

For those of you who can't imagine spending Friday nights at football games...I have to say that it is very cheap entertainment! Where else can you go for under $20 for your family? I feel the same way about HS drama productions. We try to go to our two HS's productions every year. They are usually FANTASTIC and you get great quality entertainment for $10 per person! And our bands....my DS15's HS band is absolutely incredible. You should see the people who turn out for the spring concert every year. Half of them don't have kids in the band, I'm certain of it. They hold the concert in the gym because the band is too big for the auditorium, and they fill that gym two nights in a row. You get fantastic entertainment for the night, for $7!!

We don't live in the "sticks" either...we live in a fairly large urban area.

 

[Becky2005]

I had never heard of ToT any day other than the 31st until I met my husband.

His town would do it usually the night before -- THEY loved it as kids because they would trick or treat their neighborhood on whatever day it was & then go trick or treat a different neighborhood on the 31st.

I would be one of those all confused people with changing dates all the time. I mean, to me that would be like saying 'OK, we are going to move Thanksgiving this year to Friday because Thursday is the middle of the week' -- HUH? I know the actual date changes but people KNOW what day it should fall on. October 31 IS Halloween.

Of course, my cynical thinking is if the excuse is to cut down on vandilism don't they think the kids that are going to cause problems are going to do it no matter what day it is? They aren't going to go "Oh gee, let's not do XYZ since the ToT day has moved" -- NO...they will either do it during ToT on that day or still go out on the 31st and cause havoc. The calendar isn't going to stop them.

 

[golfgal]

I guess maybe if you live in the sticks and have nothing else to do then high school football is a big deal...but there is SO much more to do on a Friday night here than sit and watch a kids football game...heck even the players parents don't go half the time and forget the band parents-- 2 stay to work a concession stand the rest drop and go! Heck high school football is free and they still don't get people to go watch that!

High School football is pretty popular here. It has nothing to do with living in the "sticks" and everything to do with being a fun community event and watching some pretty good football-as well as an amazing marching band. We generally get about 5000 people at home games here. When Halloween is on a Friday kids go out before the game and often come in costume to the games. The games don't start until 7:00 so you can get in a lot of T or T'ing by then. They charge $7/person to get in too.

We have plenty of things to do other than high school football but for those 4 home games/season, people choose to go to those vs going elsewhere.

 

[keagansmom]

They do that here in WV also-- roll eyes-- When we moved here 3 yrs ago from Colorado I couldn't believe it! They also assign times for when you can trick or treat in each community. It's the stupidest wierdest thing I have ever heard of.... Let's just say I'm not a fan...

 

[mhsjax]

High School football is pretty popular here. It has nothing to do with living in the "sticks" and everything to do with being a fun community event and watching some pretty good football-as well as an amazing marching band. We generally get about 5000 people at home games here. When Halloween is on a Friday kids go out before the game and often come in costume to the games. The games don't start until 7:00 so you can get in a lot of T or T'ing by then. They charge $7/person to get in too.

We have plenty of things to do other than high school football but for those 4 home games/season, people choose to go to those vs going elsewhere.

I like what some one else said. Have the kids TOT at the game before. The parking lot is filled up about 2 hours before the game. People bring grills and everyone is eating and partying, w/o alcohol, but still, it is one big tailgate and a huge amount of fun.