National Halloween Petition Letter

[FlightlessDuck]

I live in an area of Pennsylvania where each municipality schedules trick-or-treat (note: not "Halloween", but specifically trick-or-treat). I HATE it. Where I grew up, it was always the Friday before Halloween. Where I live now, they moved it around the past few years. Last year it was Sunday from 3-6. In fact, this year there was such a ruckus about it that our township put up an online poll, and "have it on Halloween" won.

So, no. This is nonsense. I will have none of it!

 

[piccolopat]

I really think we should move away from the whole idea of trick or treating. We just don't know who is behind the door at strangers' homes and I just don't think it is a safe way for kids to get more candy than they need. I also don't like that people are expected to buy candy and treats for kids they don't know or risk having their property damaged by disgruntled youth. Maybe it's time to eliminate the trick or treating part of the holiday and leave it to people and communities to organize their own celebrations. If we did this, it wouldn't matter what day it was.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Feeling a bit foolish asking this but how is moving Halloween going to make it safer?

I think the idea is that there is less traffic if it's not a weekday when people are driving home from work, and trick-or-treaters would be less likely to be hit by a car.

OP, I don't think you have anything to worry about for your trip. Even if this did end up going through the legislative process (and I doubt it will) these things take time. No ruling would take effect until at least next year, after your trip is long over.

 

[RangerPooh]

This is ridiculous. We've celebrated Halloween on school nights forever (well the last 100+ years I guess), so why is this an issue now? I get that kids are hopped up on sugar, come in tired, and sadly people hit kids with their vehicles, but isn't it that parents responsibility to call it a night at a reasonable time, as well as monitor their children? There does come a point where reasonable people turn off the porch lights and trick or treaters decide to stop for the night.

I've heard of communities declaring a specific night for trick or treating, but don;t live in one of those. Why not leave it the 31st. People will still plan their parties for the Friday and Saturday night before it. Parents with young kids will still be out and done early in the evening. If there's a concern about costumes not being reflective then push the cheap costume makers to do something about it. We live in a city that doe snot have street light, so everyone has to carry flashlights. Parents actually monitor their kids too. Go figure.

 

[mom2rtk]

I really think we should move away from the whole idea of trick or treating. We just don't know who is behind the door at strangers' homes and I just don't think it is a safe way for kids to get more candy than they need. I also don't like that people are expected to buy candy and treats for kids they don't know or risk having their property damaged by disgruntled youth. Maybe it's time to eliminate the trick or treating part of the holiday and leave it to people and communities to organize their own celebrations. If we did this, it wouldn't matter what day it was.

Then you should not take your kids trick or treating. But let others do what they want and feel comfortable with.

 

[piccolopat]

Then you should not take your kids trick or treating. But let others do what they want and feel comfortable with.

She's an adult now but I only took her to homes we knew. I'm not stopping you from doing the same but why should people be expected to provide treats for people they don't know? I just think there's a better way to celebrate Halloween.

 

[mom2rtk]

She's an adult now but I only took her to homes we knew. I'm not stopping you from doing the same but why should people be expected to provide treats for people they don't know? I just think there's a better way to celebrate Halloween.

Nobody requires anybody to hand out treats.

 

[piccolopat]

Nobody requires anybody to hand out treats.

Yes but in many areas kids will egg those houses or cause other problems.

 

[RedAngie]

In 1971 when I was 10, Halloween was on a Sunday. In my neighborhood, trick-or-treating was unofficially changed to Saturday, October 30. It was said that's how it was always done when October 31 was on a Sunday. Lots of places were still closed on Sundays back then. I suppose in my heavily Catholic neighborhood, the church frowned upon participating in such demonic activity on a Sunday.

 

[Imzadi]

Well, duh! Change the petition to include making All Saints Day to the first Sunday in November! Voila!

The Pope won't go for that one. He outranks POTUS in this case. (Don't tell POTUS that though. )

 

[jrmasm]

I think the idea is that there is less traffic if it's not a weekday when people are driving home from work, and trick-or-treaters would be less likely to be hit by a car.

OP, I don't think you have anything to worry about for your trip. Even if this did end up going through the legislative process (and I doubt it will) these things take time. No ruling would take effect until at least next year, after your trip is long over.

You know what would help with traffic? If idiot parents wouldn't drive behind their kids while they were Trick or Treating.

 

[Cadiewampus]

I think the idea is that there is less traffic if it's not a weekday when people are driving home from work, and trick-or-treaters would be less likely to be hit by a car.

OP, I don't think you have anything to worry about for your trip. Even if this did end up going through the legislative process (and I doubt it will) these things take time. No ruling would take effect until at least next year, after your trip is long over.

I was going to say same thing about traffic. Trying to get home from work on Halloween is a nightmare. Always takes me at least 30 minutes longer

 

[kaytieeldr]

This is ridiculous. We've celebrated Halloween on school nights forever (well the last 100+ years I guess)

Longer https://www.halloweenangel.com/2016/10/when-trick-or-treating-begin.html

 

[FlightlessDuck]

She's an adult now but I only took her to homes we knew. I'm not stopping you from doing the same but why should people be expected to provide treats for people they don't know? I just think there's a better way to celebrate Halloween.

Around here, having a porchlight on indicates you are participating. Plenty of homes don't.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I was going to say same thing about traffic. Trying to get home from work on Halloween is a nightmare. Always takes me at least 30 minutes longer

Ha! Thirty minutes on Halloween is nothing, a minor inconvenience. You should try living where I do - on the most popular/direct street to Salem. Multiply your 30 minutes by 30 days!

 

[Cadiewampus]

Ha! Thirty minutes on Halloween is nothing, a minor inconvenience. You should try living where I do - on the most popular/direct street to Salem. Multiply your 30 minutes by 30 days!

You mean you don't wish everyday was Halloween ?. I always wondered if Salem actually looked like it was depicted in the movie Hocus Pocus. You know all Halloween all the time. Kind of like the movie Groundhog day.

 

[RangerPooh]

You know what would help with traffic? If idiot parents wouldn't drive behind their kids while they were Trick or Treating.

Yes! Get out of the car and walk with your kids. You look like a creeper otherwise. It's beyond ridiculous when parents drive their kids from house to house. Your child can walk. There is no need for them to hop back into a vehicle and drive two houses the whole night.

 

[Moliphino]

Ha! Thirty minutes on Halloween is nothing, a minor inconvenience. You should try living where I do - on the most popular/direct street to Salem. Multiply your 30 minutes by 30 days!

My cousin had her bachelorette weekend in Salem right before Halloween last year. We parked a mile out and walked because traffic going over the bridge was. not. moving.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Yes! Get out of the car and walk with your kids. You look like a creeper otherwise. It's beyond ridiculous when parents drive their kids from house to house. Your child can walk. There is no need for them to hop back into a vehicle and drive two houses the whole night.

Instead of spending $$ on gas, you'd think the parents would just go buy candy and call it a night.

 

[disney11fan]

I was just looking up the same here, In Nebraska, it's a percent of registered voters, so we have 1.2 mil registered voters in Nebraska, to have a constitutional admendment it would take 10%, 121,,000 voters to sigh said petition. For just a state admendment it drops to 7%, so 85,000 registered voters, I find it really hard to believe that with 75,000 signatures, (figures up to about 0.05 % of registered voters in the US) that it would go to the POTUS.

Boo... Hey let's ask the Easter Bunny. Lol. Crazy people involved. No letter, no chance....close the discussion. Move on.