Officialy time for trick or treating??

[Crankin]

Well, some towns in MA have designated trick or treating time, so people are aware of when the kids will be out and you can be ready. Sometimes, this happens if there are other events going on, but it has nothing to do with religion, as you all know, we are heathens here . There's usually some kind of special town celebration to go along with this.
I really don't like Halloween. When did this become a holiday that adults celebrate and go nuts over for a month? It's like another excuse to get drunk.
I would say I am getting old, but I remember feeling like this in my twenties and thirties... first I thought it was something particular to AZ, but no, it's the same here. It just didn't happen when I was a kid.
I enjoyed seeing the kids come to my door in our last neighborhood, where we lived on a cul de sac. But here, no one comes up the hill, let alone up our driveway. We moved into our house on November first five years ago, and spent the night of the 31st in the "haunted" room of the Colonial Inn. I didn't see any ghosts, though.

[Selkie]

I really don't like Halloween. When did this become a holiday that adults celebrate and go nuts over for a month? It's like another excuse to get drunk.
I would say I am getting old, but I remember feeling like this in my twenties and thirties...

When I was a kid, I loved Halloween. It was one of the few times during the year that my mother let us have candy (my brother and I trick or treat for hours to amass a big supply of goodies).

I agree w/Crankin -- As an adult, I don't see the attraction of dressing in a costume and drinking, but that's just me. To me, it's like forcing a dog to wear a costume---it's undignified! [please note the winky/smiley and don't flame me]

[Bike Chick]

I never thought of Halloween as any other time than October 31. The local towns here do set and publish certain dates, times and age limits for trick or treating. A lot of local organizations also have what is called "trunk or treat" where members of the organization park their cars in a parking lot with the trunk open and the children walk from car to car for candy. I don't think it would be as much fun for the kids but we have had a lot of incidents with razor blades in apples and this is a little safer.

Now as far as the religious aspect of Halloween, we celebrate it in my church. Halloween is the eve of All Saints Day and is when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church knowing people would be coming to church the next day and would read it. It is considered the beginning of the Reformation and we celebrate it with a church service. It is called Reformation Day.

[ScaldedCat]

I'm afraid I don't like trick or treating, I can't comment on how it is conducted in the U.S but here in the U.K it seems to be little better than demanding money (or sweets) with menaces.

Since when was it ok to go knocking on doors and expecting to be given sweets or money?
I have notices that the local Police provide to put on my front door and windows saying 'No Trick or Treat'

I've nothing against Halloween, I'm an atheist with slight pagan leanings, I just don't like the idea that gangs of teenagers or even young children with their mothers can just knock on my door and expect to be given something, it's cold, dark out and people knocking on my door every 2 minutes for a couple of nights causes I disturbance that I'm just not willing to put up with.

[GLC1968]

When I was a kid, I loved Halloween. It was one of the few times during the year that my mother let us have candy (my brother and I trick or treat for hours to amass a big supply of goodies).

I agree w/Crankin -- As an adult, I don't see the attraction of dressing in a costume and drinking, but that's just me. To me, it's like forcing a dog to wear a costume---it's undignified! [please note the winky/smiley and don't flame me]

I'm not a die hard Halloween fan, but I do enjoy it. I love to dress up and interact with others at parties when opportunity arises. Maybe I'm still a kid? Maybe it's a throwback to living near Salem, MA? Honestly, the best Halloween's I've ever had were the couple of years that I was dating a guy who lived there. That town takes Halloween VERY seriously! It's like they live all year for it. The decorations go up on Labor Day...no joke. They do it all out - haunted cemetaries and buildings, ghost tours, huge costumed balls, bonfires, you name it... Of course, the town has such a haunted history that they are kind of just living up to their past! It's honestly a REALLY good time - alcohol totally not necessary.