The annual “what time is trick-or-treat” conversation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What would you do if you get a trick-or-treater at 430pm??

Give them candy?? Or not if I’m busy?? Wtf is with you people. You’re not obligated to answer the door. They’re not going to egg your house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What would you do if you get a trick-or-treater at 430pm??

Tar and feather them and throw them in fire pit. The only reasonable response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s 6. It’s always been 6. SIX O’CLOCK. 6:00pm. 1800 hours.

No, it has nothing. It varies by neighborhood. In ours, it is acceptable once it is dark, which is later than 6pm. In other neighborhoods, kids are out as early as 5pm. Which is why we have this conversation every year.

[Anonymous]

Gosh I love how this post happens every year around this time. It’s so predictable, but also comforting to know that some things will never change.

If I weren’t so lazy, I’d link every single one of these posts from the last 10 years, so everyone could see the same answers repeated over and over again.

Next up: the annual post about when to serve the Thanksgiving meal—is it lunch? Is it dinner? Is it somewhere in between like 3 pm? Can’t wait.

[Anonymous]

Our neighborhood is doing it on Friday 11/1 so that the kids can start later and also not worry about being tired for school

[Anonymous]

Since y'all are arguing...

Teenagers can trick or treat
Parents parading a costumed infant out NEED CHOCOLATE. Don't skimp.
Don't make the shy kid (who may be nonverbal) say "trick or treat!" or jump through other hoops to "earn" their candy.
Consider having non-candy items (spider rings, bubbles, those weird gummy things that stick on walls)
If you're not home or not ready, or out of candy, the door won't open. We'll move on. It's not complicated.
Decorated houses are assumed to be the ones with the good candy. Be prepared to be busy.

Once you're home, a parent inspects the candy and takes the parent tax. This is less a safety issue (nobody gives out free drugs to random kids), and more a tradition of payment for buying/making costumes and wandering all over the neighborhood at night. After that, it's a free-for-all (for one night, then the rest gets separated into a small keep pile, and the rest gets donated).

Then you watch the traditional Halloween movie while eating entirely too much sugar, then brush your teeth (twice!) and go to bed.

Anyone who grumbles the next morning pays a piece of candy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh I love how this post happens every year around this time. It’s so predictable, but also comforting to know that some things will never change.

If I weren’t so lazy, I’d link every single one of these posts from the last 10 years, so everyone could see the same answers repeated over and over again.

Next up: the annual post about when to serve the Thanksgiving meal—is it lunch? Is it dinner? Is it somewhere in between like 3 pm? Can’t wait.

Arguing about the holidays is a traditional part of the holidays. Just go with it, and do whatever works for you and yours.

[Anonymous]

Like you yourself said... just use last year's time. This doesn't need to be discussed every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our neighborhood is doing it on Friday 11/1 so that the kids can start later and also not worry about being tired for school

A
So kids aren’t tired? Are we such a sedentary society that walking up and down the street is a taxing exercise?

The kids with 7-8 bedtimes barely ToT. They go to a few neighbors’ houses and are back home before bedtime.

Unless their parents are dragging them everywhere?