This is Halloween

Scott Hardie | August 4, 2019
What do you think of the movement to observe Halloween on the last Saturday in October?

Matthew Preston | August 6, 2019
I'm fine with it, but mostly because this is what my neighborhood association has already done (at least for trick or treating).

This neighborhood goes all out for Halloween, making it one of the best nights of the year. Houses are always trying to one up each other with extravagant displays (mazes, holograms, interactive human dioramas). There's also adult trick or treating on nearly every block (free alcoholic beverages). I can't wait until Halloween now.

Steve West | August 6, 2019
Works for me. We annually do a "Trunk or Treat" at church for the local kids on that exact date during the day so I can still do the night thing at my house..

Samir Mehta | August 6, 2019
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Scott Hardie | August 6, 2019
Switching the date makes sense to me, for the benefit of both kids (safer trick-or-treating in the afternoon) and adults (easier partying at night). I just worry that the movement won't gain sufficient momentum to change the date, and we'll wind up with two Halloweens. Holidays aren't just days any more; they feel like whole seasons now.

Samir Mehta | August 7, 2019
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Scott Hardie | August 7, 2019
I'm sure the pumpkin spice products have already started appearing on store shelves as we speak.

Steve West | August 7, 2019
Mmmm... Pumpkin tastes good.

Scott Hardie | August 12, 2019
Correction: Pumpkin spice arrives next week, at Dunkin Donuts at least.

Erik Bates | August 13, 2019
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Aaron Shurtleff | August 13, 2019
I don't think I have a dog in this fight. Halloween is the kind of holiday for me that I wouldn't care if it was moved. I am curious if there's much resistance to moving it for any reason. I mean, other than just straight inertia. Like, I guess technically it's supposed to be the day before All Saints' Day, if I remember my Catholicism well. Would that get moved too? Is All Saints' Day really even attached to November 1st? Would anyone care? I never know what religious people get attached to. I would raise a similar thought about those of the pagan faiths, but I am on even shakier ground about that. I think the holiday is Samhain for Wiccans (and many believe this was the pre-cursor to Halloween). Would they care about Halloween being moved? I honestly don't know.

Erik Bates | August 14, 2019
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Scott Hardie | August 16, 2019
Splitting it makes sense to me. Leave the religious date in place. (I looked it up and Samhain is indeed the holiest of days for Wiccans.) Move the "observance" to the last Saturday in October, for the trick-or-treating and parties and such. If what I learned from Drunk History about the origin of modern Halloween celebrations is true, we really can just change the tradition if we feel like it, because we already did.

Scott Hardie | August 16, 2019
The latest product jumping on the bandwagon: Pumpkin Spice Spam.