Why is Trick or Treat not on Halloween

Submitted by every1getslaid t3_yhdu8g in newhampshire

This is a weird tradition that I don’t understand, I have heard it discourages mischief.

Edit: this seems to be a strictly Seacoast/Southern Maine thing.

My question still stands, why?

trick or treat times

Edit 2: so this is really sad. My neighbors are from Brazil and their kids are all dressed up for Trick or Treat tonight the 31st. I have tons of leftovers so they all got full bars from me. Not having it on the 31st is confusing for anyone not from here.

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joostadood526 t1_iud6vuu wrote

Where? Lol every single town on the working list I'm looking at has trick or treating the 31st

3

MattBarrySucks t1_iud7m3y wrote

Probably because a lot of parents either aren’t home yet or are just getting home at 6:00 on Monday.

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CDogNH t1_iud8tpb wrote

Varies by town. Halloween is on Halloween in my town.

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just_ducky_in_NH t1_iud9otn wrote

Governor Meldrim Thompson (1960s - 1970s) felt that there was too much hooliganism on Halloween and declared Halloween Eve to be Beggars Night so the little kids would be safe. I don’t know why it still carries on in some places. (He also ordered flags to fly at half-mast on Good Friday. 🤷🏼‍♀️)

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MommaGuy t1_iudcfh6 wrote

My town is on Halloween. There may have been a year or two where due to weather or something it was changed, but as long as I have lived here (29 yrs) it has been on Halloween. It’s up to each city/town to decide.

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Jerney23 t1_iudgdzm wrote

Halloween used to have hours after sundown so kids and adults would be up later, so some towns celebrated it on the closest weekend. And it’s more accommodating for the parents that work if it’s on a weekend

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vjalander t1_iudwjz0 wrote

Mythought is, it’s to accommodate the portsmouth Halloween parade.

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Rolling_Beardo t1_iudxbrs wrote

The only time it makes sense to me is to move it to a weekend night but even that’s a stretch.

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oh-caelan t1_iudyjqy wrote

When I was growing up (in Maine) it was always on Halloween. I asked someone once about this and it's supposed to be a safety thing to have designated hours and I think it also came down to the fact that it gets so dark early at this time of year that parents who work wouldn't be able to be home and prep the kids on time for a 5pm - 7pm trick or treat time (for example). Having it on a weekend at a designated time makes it easier for working parents.

That's what I've always heard anyway.

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jeo3b t1_iue125o wrote

90% of the state it is on Halloween. My town is on the 30th bc my area is so big so they split it into 2 nights so that the areas had appropriate police coverage.

Edit changed a word

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A-Do-Gooder t1_iue2k5x wrote

Replying to ProlapsedMasshole (#348,303)

Can you explain that more? When you say "compete with the parade", are they worried that people wouldn't show to the parade because they're trick or treating, so they move trick or treating so that more people go to the parade? Or do you mean so that they have more police coverage available for both? I'm just confused.

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Zaius1968 t1_iue3zz1 wrote

It’s nonsense. Government trying to protect you. Nanny state.

−9

fistofthefuture t1_iue4y0x wrote

>I have heard it discourages mischief

Ironically the whole treat thing was started in Chicago to discourage tricks. That’s why it became trick OR treat. It got popular from there.

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rahnster_wright t1_iuefry0 wrote

I cannot understand why people get so worked up about this. Who cares? I went to a Halloween party last night and had fun despite it being the 29th.

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quaffee t1_iueg2cc wrote

I never understood why this needed to be "scheduled" in the first place. If you go outside the scheduled hours, do the cops get involved? I say the towns should stay out of it, and we should keep Halloween trick or treating an informal tradition that just happens organically.

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every1getslaid OP t1_iuegtqe wrote

Replying to quaffee (#351,800)

I go back and forth on this, I really don’t want people showing up at 3pm unexpectedly but also I remember being a older kid and getting looks for showing up after 8:30

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quaffee t1_iuem85o wrote

Replying to every1getslaid (#351,955)

Trick or treating begins at dusk, and ends a few hours after. Either trick or treaters get tired and go home or, if you are handing out candy and want to be done, unplug the decorations, turn the lights off, and stop answering the door.

It should work itself out with a bit of common sense, and regulating it for the sake of the pearl-clutchers among us seems like a solution in search of a problem. I guess some people just can't stand the thought that there may be something fun and spontaneous going on in town which is beyond their control.

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Nydelok t1_iueq6dn wrote

Replying to rahnster_wright (#351,729)

Agreed. It’s not a big deal. I’m doing some work in a Haunted House/Walk, we got 48 people the 28th and 46 people the 29th. Not even Halloween, and it’s a pretty decent turnout for 3 hours a night

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Stickyfynger t1_iueulgd wrote

It’s on Halloween in our town. Every year, no matter what…

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PizzaPugPrincess t1_iuex492 wrote

Replying to every1getslaid (#354,800)

Seacoast has always done mischief night for trick or treat. I don’t know why. I know mischief night isn’t super big up here anyway but I always assumed it was to keep people from participating in that?

But yeah, I grew up on the sea coast and trick or treat was never on Halloween.

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snowman603 t1_iuezqab wrote

Replying to every1getslaid (#354,800)

The Halloween parade in Portsmouth is a strong tradition, so maybe to not compete? Portsmouth also does their fireworks on the 3rd of July. It is a bit comical to do everything one day off.

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foobar_north t1_iuf0myk wrote

Some towns have it the weekend before. It starts getting dark around 6pm - and if it's on a week day kids are wondering around, dashing into the street from house-to-house. People don't get home from work 'till 4 or 5 or 6. Then you have to get the kids into their costumes, then they are dashing around, in the dark. Then you're home by 7 or 8. Kids are all sugar ed-up, and hyped about running around the neighborhood getting free candy. If it's on a weekday it's a late night.

We had it in my town the weekend before. Kids walk around on a Saturday between 4 and 6:30 before it's really dark. Plenty of time to get sick on candy, and much easier on the parents

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imsonny1 t1_iuf1u43 wrote

Replying to quaffee (#351,800)

I hear that depending on which town you're in if you're trick or treating outside of the scheduled "trick or treat timeslot" cops will open fire

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ScuttleBuzz t1_iuf4re1 wrote

Always thought it is weird to have scheduled hours or different days for trick or treating in the Live Free or Die state.

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kyoto93 t1_iuf5fbk wrote

I live in Durham and I always heard that it was to prevent trick-or-treat from interfering with college party shenanigans

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EmeraldMoose12 t1_iufd6rl wrote

In New London, they really only encourage trick or treating on Main Street. This year, they're doing it tonight. I don't like the whole scheduling trick of treating thing or telling people where they can do it. Trick or treating should happen on Halloween from the edge of dark until people shut off their lights. We haven't had trick or treaters in years, and honestly its kind of sad. I like handing out candy and seeing people's costumes. I don't have kids, so going up to Main Street to try to see people's costumes, etc. is just kind of weird.

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1carb_barffle t1_iufkumg wrote

Goffstown does it so well - always 31st with a cute elementary school parade day of.

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jackHadIt t1_iuflo0k wrote

You’ve got to wonder who is making this happen. Every kid remembers Halloween as nighttime trick or treating

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rudyattitudedee t1_iufnvn2 wrote

I’ve lived in several towns in Nh and most don’t have it on Halloween but the town I currently live in does it on Halloween night every year, school night or not.

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Dark_Azazel t1_iufrxkc wrote

My town and some surrounding have trick or treat on Halloween for like 3 hours or so. Usually the Saturday before (or after) they have an afternoon trick or treat for toddlers, which is usually right after their costume parade.

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pewterpetunia t1_iufuym3 wrote

I find it hilarious how upset people get about this. IDGAF what night it’s held on but some others get fired up about it. (My town celebrated tonight and some people were losing their minds)

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hounddogracingteam t1_iufvv2n wrote

I’ve always heard it’s for police coverage. No source I can find, but it’s always been 30th or 31st for different towns.

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Doug_Shoe t1_iufw2z0 wrote

people don't want to miss the devil worship meeting by driving the kids around.

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dbarz39 t1_iufwm21 wrote

In Derry it's always on Halloween

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sailor-jupiters t1_iufxmtd wrote

I honestly just wish trick or treat was the last Saturday of October. I have little kids, a Sunday/Monday night trick or treat is miserable

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bluestonemanoracct t1_iufynlg wrote

When I first moved her I had no idea why kids were arriving at my door the day before Halloween. I had to shut out the lights and hide because I had no candy! These were the days before FB where you could learn everything online.

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are_we_in_a_fight t1_iug2tr2 wrote

Replying to ScuttleBuzz (#356,952)

😆 ... I get your sentiment, but it is a community wide event, so some organization makes sense. I mean, you can send your kids out knocking whenever you want, but people may not be answering and the ones who do may not have candy.

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are_we_in_a_fight t1_iug4ren wrote

Replying to quaffee (#351,800)

When was trick-or-treating ever an informal event that just happened organically? It's a community celebration. It absolutely makes sense to have a scheduled time so everyone can coordinate: adults can make sure they are home and have candy, and parents can make sure their kids are dressed up and ready to knock.

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Ill_Mushroom1033 t1_iughmc3 wrote

I moved here in November 2020 from Upstate New York. The varying of times and days for trick-or-treating has been commonplace there for decades. I have also lived in California and Pennsylvania, where this is also common practice. When I was a child, I used the varied times to my advantage. I could trick-or-treat at least three nights in a season, and my fat ass sure did.

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Happy_Confection90 t1_iugm3me wrote

My town always does it on the 30th. Even if the 30th is a school night and the 31st isn't. I don't get it.

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shapeintheclouds t1_iuh7xnq wrote

My older sister cried foul one year when I put on my Superman mask and hit up the neighborhood on the day before Halloween. I must have been six, seven? Came home with a pillow case of candy. I was, "practicing." Went out the next night and doubled my score. Good times.

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Accurate-Temporary73 t1_iuhn22d wrote

Where I live in New England truck or treating is always the 31st no matter what.

A lot of towns and businesses have trunk or treat events on different days but the house to house stuff is always the 31st

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KrissaKray t1_iuhoaqe wrote

For a while there, my town didn't do it ON Halloween but moreso on weekend days closest to it. Lately, I've noticed they've been doing it ON Halloween, as they're doing this year.

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