Halloween is SUNDAY!

RenaissanceBiker

Eats shoots and leaves.
RenaissanceBiker
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
8,217
Location
South Carolina
I got an email yesterday from the principal of our local elementary school saying that trick-or-treating will be on Saturday night in our community. She said that the Sheriffs department notified her that this would be the night to trick-or-treat in our county this year. I (hastily) replied-to-all that any kid showing up at my house on Saturday night will be told to come back tomorrow. Halloween is Oct. 31, Christmas is Dec. 25 and New Years Day is Jan. 1. Neither the sheriff nor the elementary school principal has the authority to set the date for holidays.

That started a backlash against the principal. It seems that I was not the only one mad about it. The sheriff has stated that he cannot and did not endorse such an idea and he does not know how his name got attached to it. HOAs in our area have put up signs stating that trick-or-treating will be on Sunday in those neighborhoods. I received many replies supporting trick-or-treating on Halloween night. I had one reply that just said I am free to celebrate Halloween any night I want. I replied to that one by saying that in 2011 the 4th of July is on a Monday and that's the day I will be celebrating my freedom.
 
Last edited:
Just let the lady know that fine, Halloween is on Saturday, but you are moving Saturday to Sunday. She can't be the only one allowed to edit the calendar.
 
That sort of thing happens a lot around where I am... and I honestly don't see any reason for it. But rest assured, this Sunday I'll have my caramel covered onions ready to go.
 
I've lived in several towns that decide when trick-or-treating occurs, and at what times. It's just a way to make sure chaos is controlled, but it is annoying.

Turning away the kids on Saturday punishes them for something totally out of their control. I would still give them candy, and maybe ask them how they feel about the change. Enough complaints by kids & parents and it'll stop.
 
LovleAnjel said:
I've lived in several towns that decide when trick-or-treating occurs, and at what times. It's just a way to make sure chaos is controlled, but it is annoying.

Turning away the kids on Saturday punishes them for something totally out of their control. I would still give them candy, and maybe ask them how they feel about the change. Enough complaints by kids & parents and it'll stop.
Click to expand...

I'm in the Bible Belt now (grew up on Long Is) and we're having the same debate.

"Its the Devil's birthday, and Sunday is the Lord's day!" Yes, I've heard that.
The only valid reason to me would be "Its a school night" but, that's up to the parents to make sure their kids are back home at a resonable hour; just like when it is on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday...

I want to turn away kids that show up on Saturday night, but, again, I feel bad, especially if their parents are against it being on a Sunday b/c of religious reasons.


I'm also really really tempted to ask for the principal's e-mail so I can e-mail her as well!
 
Last edited:
LovleAnjel said:
I've lived in several towns that decide when trick-or-treating occurs, and at what times. It's just a way to make sure chaos is controlled, but it is annoying.

Turning away the kids on Saturday punishes them for something totally out of their control. I would still give them candy, and maybe ask them how they feel about the change. Enough complaints by kids & parents and it'll stop.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it might be a little cruel to tell a 4 year old to come back tomorrow. The easy solution is to not answer the door.
 
The school night arguement is stupid. Parents of younger kids start trick-or-treating at 6 and are usually done by 7 or 7:30, well before bed time. Older kids will be out later but they usually stay up a little later anyway. Even if Halloween were on a Saturday, the parents aren't going to let these kids stay out until midnight.

Now the sign at the entrance to our subdivision says trick-or-treating will be Sunday. My neighbors and I have also decided that porch lights and other decorations will not be illuminated on Saturday night. If someone still rings the bell, I'll leave it to the Mrs. to decide. I'm going hunting.
 
They tried that around here several years ago, in part because the town is known for its drunken close-down-the-main-street Halloween bash. Kids were told to trick-or-treat on the 30th and downtown partiers were told the same. There was a lot of debate about these decisions.

The end result was two days of trick-or-treating for the kids and two nights of downtown debauchery. :)
 
madurobob said:
They tried that around here several years ago, in part because the town is known for its drunken close-down-the-main-street Halloween bash. Kids were told to trick-or-treat on the 30th and downtown partiers were told the same. There was a lot of debate about these decisions.

The end result was two days of trick-or-treating for the kids and two nights of downtown debauchery. :)
Click to expand...

The obvious solution there is ... HALLOWEEK!
 
Where we stay, Halloween has apparently always (i.e. since at least the 19th century) been celebrated on the last Friday in October. It's not just our town, but the whole of the valley as far as I can tell. Go much more than 10-15 miles away, however, and it's back to the plain old 31st.

The publicly held theory is that it was (a) to stop kids having to be out late on a school night, and (b) Friday was payday, hence more chance of getting loot.

I find it quite amusing, I must say. A rare example of a local custom surviving globalisation.

We also tend to give "trick or treating" short thrift. That's just begging. It is traditional in Scotland to guise, i.e. to do a turn or skit or somesuch in return for the treats. Songs and bad jokes seem to be the current order of the day, but there you go.
 
Architect said:
We also tend to give "trick or treating" short thrift. That's just begging. It is traditional in Scotland to guise, i.e. to do a turn or skit or somesuch in return for the treats. Songs and bad jokes seem to be the current order of the day, but there you go.
Click to expand...

Here in the US, you are supposed to tell a joke. I assume that is still the protocol.
 
"joke" singular?? Naw, you'd get hee-haw for that unless you were about 5 years old.
 
Mister Earl said:
That sort of thing happens a lot around where I am... and I honestly don't see any reason for it. But rest assured, this Sunday I'll have my caramel covered onions ready to go.
Click to expand...

My guess: so called "safety concerns".

Parents and teachers are paranoid about Trick or Treating or even children being outside on Halloween.

Maybe, as previously mentioned, they worried about drunken teenagers and crazy people being out on Sunday and asked that children go out on Saturday.
 
Last edited:
Architect said:
"joke" singular?? Naw, you'd get hee-haw for that unless you were about 5 years old.
Click to expand...

Yes. As in a 7 year old says "What's the biggest pencil in the world", you say "I don't know" (even though you heard the joke 20 times already that night), and the kid excitedly says "Pennsylvania!!!", at which point you pretend to laugh and give them a piece of candy.

It works differently in Scotland?
 
The Central Scrutinizer said:
Yes. As in a 7 year old says "What's the biggest pencil in the world", you say "I don't know" (even though you heard the joke 20 times already that night), and the kid excitedly says "Pennsylvania!!!", at which point you pretend to laugh and give them a piece of candy.

It works differently in Scotland?
Click to expand...

Yes. We would pretend to laugh and then release the hounds.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom