When do you trick or treat?

[Marseeya]

What is the purpose of trick or treating on a day other than halloween?
I have never heard of this and frankly, I think it really takes away from the fun of it for kids.

Well, I don't agree that it takes away from the fun for kids, as they don't know any different. Any of the kids who are trick or treating, who have grown up here, have never known it any other way.

But it DOES ruin it for a lot of parents. When I worked, I had to choose between not doing it at all or taking off work early and losing two hours of pay. What about parents who can't get off work? I know there are many who can't. I haven't been able to go with my DD in the past three years because of school. I have classes on Thursday evening, and can't miss for it. I'm just glad I have someone else to take her, but I still miss going with her.

 

[merrily]

Our town always has trick or treat on the 30th. Lots of other towns around here do also. I have no idea why we do it on the 30th and not the 31st though!

 

[summerrluvv]

Gate Night here is the night where all the local kids go out TPing houses at random, and have their little fun. Our community really doesn't mind it as long as they don't use eggs.

Gate night must be what was considered Devil's Night where I grew up.

 

[dcgrumpy]

On Halloween at whatever time, usually starts right after school gets out until about 8 or 9.

 

[MinnieM3]

DH grew up in Ohio with the"Beggars' Night" thing. On a convenient night they did the trick or treating, not necessarily Halloween! I had never heard of this! We have always gone on Halloween night, rain or shine, whatever. We get the first doorbell ring usually around 5pm or so. Last one by 9pm. We take DS6 out around 6pm as long as he lasts.........

 

[allicat]

We trick or treat on the 30th here because our town holds a HUGE Halloween parade on the actual Halloween night.

 

[aprilgail2]

I imagine it would take a whole lot of people to buck that trend. It's a small town and they like to do it in an organized fashion for "safety" -- from 4-6, if you have candy for the kids, you leave your porch light on. Otherwise it's a no go. They've been doing it that way for so many years I doubt they'll ever change it.

It's insane.

Wow, talk about sucking every bit of fun out of a holiday for kids!!! We trick or treat ON halloween , never any other day, thats just nuts!! We also go when we want as long as we want..we usually go out as soon as she gets home from school around 345 and stay out until 6, stop home for a bite to eat and go back out until 830-900....when it falls on a weekend you pretty much have kids coming from noon till 9-10 at night!

 

[candykisses]

Ours is always on Halloween between 6 - 8.

 

[Tigger113]

We go trick or treating when it starts to get dark.

 

[TiggerPiglet]

Always Halloween night, usually around 7:00 at night.

 

[MomofKatie]

Our cities around Columbus schedule when "Beggars Night" is. That way they can keep it safe for the kids. Fri-Sun are always out for safety & religious reasons. This year it will be on the 31st from 6-8 I believe

We lived in Dublin, OH (a suburb of Columbus) for 2 years, and the first Halloween we were there, it was the weirdest thing- no Trick or Treating on Halloween! The different towns each scheduled "Begger's Night" a few nights before the 31st. The newspapers and local news would report what day the kids were expected to go out in their costumes. I had never heard of this before. Odd! Nobody ever showed up on Halloween night, even though we had candy on hand, just in case.

Here in NC, we go on Halloween, starting around dusk, and ending around 9 pm. Even if Halloween is on a Sunday- always ON the actual 31st. However, there are many families that don't Trick or Treat, because of religious reasons (I won't get into that debate, but ).

 

[TheDisneyBunch]

It is so weird to hear how other towns do theirs. We always have trick or treated on Halloween night from 6-9pm. I always take FULL advantage of the whole 3 hours..lol I don't even eat much of the candy but just love being out with ds for the whole thing. So many fun things to see and do. We come home with lots of candy though and I end up giving some of it away..lol

 

[Kahana-ri]

Wow-never heard of Halloween being held on any other day other than October 31st. We trick or treat at dusk time for the little guy and then hand out candy until about 9pm for the older kids in the neighborhood.

 

[diznygirl]

And people think my town is strange.

We trick or treat on the 31st, usually starting around dusk for the little ones.

 

[jonestavern]

Here in Washington, NH it is scheduled for the 31st & we always have a village Halloween party at the Washington General Store the Saturday of or just before, the 31st.

It is safer for some in rural communities where there is little or no street lighting or sidewalks, as here in Washington, NH. Some towns do have hours spanning from daylight to nightfall.

when I was a kid in RI, often parents would send their kids out on the Saturday before if Halloween fell on a school night, other parents chose the 31st--it could be very puzzling when or when not to be at home handing out candy--
Particularly, as those not giving out candy were up for TPing!

How about a community or street Halloween party on Halloween at hours a whole group of you can live with?
when we lived in Weare, NH the school would host a party staffed by parents with a parade, costume contests, ducking for apples, etc All the candy & beverages & 'prizes' were donated by parents & townspeople. Candy was gone over by the firemen or parents for safety, so less worries in that department. Perhaps there is a American Legion or VFW willing to host if not a suitable school venue?
Often it is cold here on the 31st--or other scheduled day--so indoors worked well.

Jean

 

[slo]

Monday, on Halloween from 5 - 7pm

 

[skiwee1]

No matter what town we lived in we have always had TorT on Halloween and never a set time either. Everyone around here usually starts after 6pm, usually they are the little ones, and stops somewhere around 9:30. Our community association attempted to put a time limit on it one year. Everyone called and complained that we were going to TorT til whenever WE deemed appropriate and they never pulled that stunt again. TorTing on another day is like having Christmas or Thanksgiving when it might be more convenient for a chosen few. Absolutely ridiculous!

 

[Lil_Tink]

Ours here is on Halloween but usually (atleast our family) goes out after dinner(dusk) and is in by about 9-930 ish.

 

[Lil_Tink]

Here in Washington, NH it is scheduled for the 31st & we always have a village Halloween party at the Washington General Store the Saturday of or just before, the 31st.

It is safer for some in rural communities where there is little or no street lighting or sidewalks, as here in Washington, NH. Some towns do have hours spanning from daylight to nightfall.

when I was a kid in RI, often parents would send their kids out on the Saturday before if Halloween fell on a school night, other parents chose the 31st--it could be very puzzling when or when not to be at home handing out candy--
Particularly, as those not giving out candy were up for TPing!

How about a community or street Halloween party on Halloween at hours a whole group of you can live with?
when we lived in Weare, NH the school would host a party staffed by parents with a parade, costume contests, ducking for apples, etc All the candy & beverages & 'prizes' were donated by parents & townspeople. Candy was gone over by the firemen or parents for safety, so less worries in that department. Perhaps there is a American Legion or VFW willing to host if not a suitable school venue?
Often it is cold here on the 31st--or other scheduled day--so indoors worked well.

Jean

Here we dont have school the day of or the day after halloween as of 1. The kids would be totally wiped out and 2 .They are probly all sick from candy

 

[Lil_Tink]

I still don't see why it is safer to do it on another night instead of Halloween night. I would be quite annoyed, because I'm really looking forward to that night. The weekend I'm going up to my college for a friend's party, and I wouldn't want to miss that back home! I live right next to an elementary school, so it's not uncommon for us to get about 300 kids come to our door at night or more. Every year we run out of candy and end up giving quarters away, and pretty much don't even bother to shut our door!

Gate Night here is the night where all the local kids go out TPing houses at random, and have their little fun. Our community really doesn't mind it as long as they don't use eggs.

Some kids from my school were TPing so me and my friend made ourselfs mummies out of the toliet paper it was really fun.