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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To borrow AIBU to ask: Is halloween today or tomorrow?

62 replies

Chocolatewheatos · 30/10/2021 15:55

May seem like a stupid question. We've never really done anything but we have DS now. Will people be out tonight as it's not a school night, or tomorrow the actual date of Halloween. DH and I can't agree.

YABU today
YANBU tomorrow

OP posts:
Original poster
Chocolatewheatos · 30/10/2021 16:13

Thank you all!

Also, quick follow up... what time is halloween?

OP posts:
NamechangeTTC · 30/10/2021 16:13

Tomorrow. Unless you're in Kilmarnock for killieween, in which case it was yesterday.

NamechangeTTC · 30/10/2021 16:14

Also- no trick or treating. Guising in these parts!

zigzag56445 · 30/10/2021 16:15

@Chocolatewheatos

Thank you all!

Also, quick follow up... what time is halloween?

Whatever time it gets dark enough
TeenMinusTests · 30/10/2021 16:16

Tomorrow it will be dark an hour earlier.
Halloween is when it is dark so 5pm ish?

Whinge · 30/10/2021 16:17

@Chocolatewheatos

Thank you all!

Also, quick follow up... what time is halloween?

Do you mean what time is trick or treating?

If so usually any time after it gets dark, until houses turn off the lights / take down decorations. So approximately 5pm - 9pm

Zucker · 30/10/2021 16:17

Tomorrow. Around these parts it starts as soon as the sun starts to set, especially for the younger children. Normally door to door stuff is completely done and dusted by 8pm. (I'm in Ireland)

TenThousandSpoons · 30/10/2021 16:20

Yeah 5pm until 8/9pm for trick or treating. Or if we run out of sweets earlier pumpkin lights will go off to show them not to knock.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 30/10/2021 16:22

Little kids go out around 5-6. Older kids up to about 8.

LondonJax · 30/10/2021 16:26

Definitely tomorrow. The decorations won't go up until tomorrow morning so, as we all do the unwritten rule of not going to a house unless decorations are up, I'm not expecting anyone.

We're always ready for a 4.30pm kick off on Halloween as some of the little ones come out then. Then it's non stop until we give up basically! We normally put the bowl of sweets outside with a cringy poem from a witch or ghost saying help yourself and settle down with sandwiches and a cup of coffee!

Two years ago we gave out over 100 packets of sweets - only one per child so we know how many we actually had. So we're prepared this year for the same if not more as last year we had none!

We all get dressed up to greet them - really looking forward to tomorrow.

Doomscrolling · 30/10/2021 16:27

The tiny ones as soon as it’s dark, the older ones until 8 at a push.

Comefromaway · 30/10/2021 16:27

Halloween is tomorrow. There may be parties tonight and children’s dance classes and other out of school activities might be having dress up days today. But trick or treating is tomorrow.

MerryPumpkinmas · 30/10/2021 16:28

Trick or treating only on the 31st. It’s always been that way, I remember going out midweek after school as a child. Parties can be on another day though, DP is going to one tonight and we went to one together last weekend.

LadyMuckington · 30/10/2021 16:29

I think all parties tonight and trick or treating tomorrow. That’s how it’s going with everyone in my circle anyway.

Lizlou85 · 30/10/2021 16:29

There's been the same debate on a local FAcebook group. General consensus is tomorrow p, but I'm sure all the primary school teachers will love having sleepy children in class Monday, who have been up late trick & treating on a Sunday at the end of half term.

Whinge · 30/10/2021 16:33

@Lizlou85

There's been the same debate on a local FAcebook group. General consensus is tomorrow p, but I'm sure all the primary school teachers will love having sleepy children in class Monday, who have been up late trick & treating on a Sunday at the end of half term.
Why would they be up late? Confused It's going to be dark at 5pm, so there's plenty of time to go trick or treating before bedtime.
MerryPumpkinmas · 30/10/2021 16:34

@Lizlou85 it doesn’t have to be late, and the clocks going back cancels it out a bit

thaegumathteth · 30/10/2021 16:35

Dd is at a Halloween get together but actual guising is tomorrow

BarbaraofSeville · 30/10/2021 16:38

I thought guising was to do with Bonfire night?

There will probably be a lot out tonight as it's Saturday not Sunday and the weather is much better - it's lovely here now and it's supposed to be awful tomorrow.

reluctantbrit · 30/10/2021 16:42

DD is off to a Halloween party soon but trick and treater are coming always on the actual day.

We have the little ones around 5pm and the slightly older until 7pm.

BoredZelda · 30/10/2021 16:43

I thought guising was to do with Bonfire night?

No, guising comes from the word “disguise”

SickAndTiredAgain · 30/10/2021 16:46

Tomorrow.
Halloween is a one day only “deal”, where it is acceptable to knock on people’s doors and ask for sweets. You can’t unilaterally decide that you want this to take place on a different day, that’s not the deal.

RuggerHug · 30/10/2021 16:46

Tomorrow for trick or treating, tonight is strictly Halloween and a few other bits.

CaptainMerica · 30/10/2021 16:49

@Ionlydomassiveones

I meant out of respect for the church... or a concession to the fact that at one time most people dressing their kids up were church goers, and believing/doing entirely contradictory thing is fine as long as its not on the sabbath. I found some backup here, though this is the US:
www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/seven-super-strict-halloween-laws-from-around-the-world

Maybe this was a local convension (growing up quite close to the place previously mentioned who always do halloween on a friday), rather than a real rule then.

LowlandLassie · 30/10/2021 16:51

In my area if Halloween falls on a Sunday you go out on the Saturday. If it’s any other day of the week fine, but not a Sunday. It’s a historical thing to do with not going out on the sabbath.