By Celeste Eback, Opinion Editor

The one thing I’m always excited for at the turn of the season is Halloween. You get to decorate your house in spooky decor, wear costumes while running around the neighborhood, knocking door-to-door asking for candy from everyone on the block. It was one of not only my favorite things, but my family’s favorite during the year. However, upon moving into Saegertown, I realized that the Halloween experience is vastly different from mine. Instead of trick-or-treat night being on Halloween night–like it should be–it’s instead hosted earlier the week prior. What gives?

First off, trick-or-treating not on Halloween feels like a sin. Trick-or-treating is undoubtedly one of the most iconic activities when it comes to Halloween. It’s one of the main reasons why Halloween is what it is. So, participating in a celebratory activity while doing it out-of-season—so to speak—erases the purpose of Halloween altogether. You wouldn’t celebrate Christmas on the 18, would you? No, no you wouldn’t. Not to mention, if you’re trick-or-treating on Halloween, it allows for for a more organized holiday rather than being scatterbrained over holiday planning and so much more. 

Now, some people will say that we shouldn’t be trick-or-treating on Halloween because children won’t be supervised and adults will be intoxicated, therefore being reckless and be a hazard to others around them. This stance however, has many flaws. To begin, your children should always be supervised during major events like trick-or-treating. Secondly, if adults are being irresponsible on Halloween during children activities, then they simply shouldn’t be around kids while they are under the influence of any substance. Although Halloween can be celebrated by anyone, that doesn’t give you a right to be a danger to everyone else around you.

All in all, trick-or-treat night should be hosted on Halloween. Otherwise, you’re participating in a holiday activity when it’s not even on the holiday it’s for. Also, it makes planning for Halloween much easier. If you’re worried about your children getting into trouble, then you need to be supervising them while they trick-or-treat. Not only that, but irresponsible adults shouldn’t be around events like these because they become hazards to not only themselves, but everyone else around them. So let’s howl at the moon, and let’s go trick-or-treating on Halloween night.