Rescheduling Halloween? (1 Viewer)

[Mike Slade]

Apparently my town is moving Halloween to Saturday this year. To me this is ridiculous, Halloween is the 31st, there is no question. This isn't the first time they've done it but I think more people are accepting it now. Is anyone else's city doing this?

Here's a column about it in our local paper. http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/l...od/9903395.htm

 

[Bob Kavanaugh]

Hey, mine too!

wait a minute...

 

[Chris Lockwood]

It's not a government holiday, so the city has no say in it. Do they not have anything important to work on there?

What next- Christmas as a Monday holiday?

 

[Bryan X]

They have a say in it because the city needs to set a date and time for trick-or-treat so everyone is on the same page.

It's no big deal. They aren't moving Halloween, just trick-or-treat. I can't remember the last time we actually had trick-or-treat on the 31st. This year where I live, it's on Thursday the 28th.

 

[Kevin Hewell]

Do kids still trick-or-treat through neighborhoods? I thought it was all done in malls nowadays. So, if the mall closes at 6 on Sunday, that might be the reason they moved it to Saturday.

 

[Kyle McKnight]

WOW, that's, um....stupid. Maybe they can move the 4th of July to suite their needs too.

 

[Philip_G]

not such a bad idea, keeps the kiddies in on a school night.

I think last year I got 5 whole visitors.

 

[Mike Slade]

In some places around here they do. I went out with my niece last year in my brother's neighborhood and there were plenty of kids out.

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

It depends on the city, it depends on the neighborhoods, but yeah trick-or-treating is definitely less popular these days. As mentioned, sometimes a mall will have a trick-or-treating event to give the kids a safer, more hospitable environment. No doubt the merchants will be handing out coupons in hope for increased business at Christmas time.

Another reason to move official trick-or-treating from Sunday: Daylight Saving Time ends on the same day. Sunset will be an hour earlier on the 31st than the day before.

 

[Philip_G]

when i was in college in bozeman MT halloween was usually cold and snowy, they'd give the kids in the dorms candy to hand out and let the little ones trick or treat through the dorms. Always wondered what kind of parents turned their kids loose in a college dorm...

 

[Jason_Els]

My town does this! We have fireworks one week before July 4. Why? Who knows? Supposedly it's so fire and police workers can spend the day with their family but I can't believe this is the only reason.

 

[ThomasC]

My university does this. The kids were always accompanied by their parents.

 

[Kevin M]

I remember when we would get well over 100 trick or treaters on Halloween....now we might get 7 on an especially good night....I know it's supposed to be a much more dangerous world out there these days but I also wonder how much media fear has played in on the rapidly declining crowds of happy children we used to see...it's a damn shame because as a kid it was my favorite time of the year, still is as an adult.

 

[Todd Hochard]

That's a giant factor, because the reality is that it's much safer than it was when I was trick-or-treating (the 70's).

We still get lots of kids in my neighborhood, probably 150+. The parents are always with the younger kids, and lots of other people are sitting out on their front porches/lawns, so there's not going to be a whole lot of "funny business" in any case.

I have no idea when we are doing it this year. Probably Saturday??

 

[brentl]

I'm with Todd on this one, usually 150+ here in Uxbridge.

My parents always move to the subdivisions where they seem to bus people in!!!

Moving it to another day is friggin dumb!!! I'd send a notice to the parents in my subdivision that I was still taking the kids out on the 31st so please save some candy!

Brent

 

[Kevin M]

As Wayne said, It depends on the city, it depends on the neighborhoods.

 

[Julian Reville]

I think moving Halloween to Saturday night (this year) is a great idea; probably too good of an idea to be adopted by my rather backwards town. Who needs a bunch of varmints running around banging on your door Sunday evening? I think I'll just tie my Rottweiler to a tree besides the front steps. Anybody that can get by "Precious" can have all of the candy they want.

 

[Kenneth]

Since the US doesn't celebrate Halloween as a religious holiday it is more of a cultural holiday. As such I don't think it is as big a deal to move it.

Kenneth

 

[BrettB]

What's the big deal? The trick-or-treaters don't give a rip what day they get free candy.

 

[MikeSerrano]

quote:Since the US doesn't celebrate Halloween as a religious holiday it is more of a cultural holiday. As such I don't think it is as big a deal to move it.

I agree. Halloween is more about costumes and fun these days and is no longer tied to the Celtic New Year or All Saints Eve--so the specific date no longer matters.


Well, here in the Denver/Boulder area we seem to always get our first snowfall right around Halloween (the eve of November 1st). That usually puts a damper on the festivities (which, I'm sure, the Boulder police department hopes for ever year). Moving the date up even just a few days would make a huge difference in terms of weather.


I think it makes sense to changing it from October 31st to the 4th Saturday in October. That would make it a weekend holiday so there would be no issues with school or work and it would occur anywhere from the 21st to the 28th of the month--right before the weather (usually) starts to get nasty.


So whom do I need to contact to implement this? Perhaps Jason Els' employer?


-Mike