Another Trick or Treating Question

We recently moved here as well and everything is different here, I am not a big fan :) Yes we start out around 6:30 or 7:00 and end around 9 since school is the next day grrrrrr. Have fun!

I live in VA and we generally wait until dusk to take the little kids out. Big kids come out later which is why we get the little ones out early.

In NC the Trick or Treating hours were 5-8 and they were enforced.

Here in VA we do Trunk or Treat at our church, we will do it Sunday this year, 5-8. No one comes to our door, we live in the boonies.

We always start at dusk, maybe 7pm. By the time we're done (once around the block) it's dark out.

people tend to start around here around 6. You see some little kids our as early as 530, but mostly it is 6-630. We tune off our lights at 930.

here in Reston, VA we go out around 6PM in our neighborhood...my girlfriend who lives in Chantilly (General Stevens Court) goes out with her twins around 6PM as well....

usually all of our trick or treaters stop coming to our house 9PM

Here they do it from 4 PM -7 PM. I hate it half of the fun of Trick or Treating was to be out after dark without the parents and getting to run around the neighborhood, ringing doorbells.

My kids are all grown with kids of their own.

I suppose it gives parents the chance to get the kids part of day done, get a sitter, and go out. We only get one day(night) a year to be able to dress silly and go out.

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when my kids were very young, we'd go early, like after dinner, we never waited till it was really dark.

I think it depends on the age of your kids. We get little kids when it's still light out at our house, but my husband waits until dark to take out our dd.

I'm in CA and we always start well before dark, especially with little kids under the age of 7. It should all be done and overwith by 8pm.

We have a set time, from 6pm-8pm. It usually gets dark about halfway or two thirds of the way through trick-or-treating...but thats good for us since my kids are younger. That way we don't trip in our neighbor's yards, etc. Some places don't even trick-or-treat on Halloween- they do it the weekend before- that, would be difficult for me! I LOVE Halloween and trick-or-treating on a day other than Halloween would take the fun out of it!

It usually starts around 5:30ish when it is still light but by the end it is dark

I try to wait until the sun starts going down but there are some small kids that start coming to our home so it is harder to keep my 7 year old at bay. Since Halloween is on a weekday, most parents I imagine do not get home until after 530. We have a tradition of having our neighbors over for the traditional chili and other foods in our driveway. The kids have to eat something that is not sugar coated. Then there is a game or two to play. Then all us moms pack the kids up with the bags, glow sticks while the Dads hang back in our driveway around the fire pit to hand out candy.

Part of the early trick or treating is that little ones have early bedtimes, older ones can stay up much later. Also, some of the costumes from the big kids are really scary, while little ones are just more child friendly. And then there's the safety issues.
Living in Ft Worth, TX: the very young ones went around a little before dusk and were done well before dark (bedtime is 8!). Then the older elementary / middle school aged children made a pass, and when it was dark you'd have some teens come by. A lot of dads would stay home (often dressed) and pass out candy while the moms walked together. We didn't want my husband to miss out though, so while gone, we'd put our candy in a bowl and a little scarecrow "guarded" it, with a sign saying "Happy Halloween! Take 3 candies" (because we didn't want to be lame and not have candy just because WE were out). When we finished our T-O-T, we'd take the sign down and candy in so we could open the door to see the kids.
I'm in SC now, and interested to see what will happen. No idea! I do remember as a kid in TX that we'd go out right when it got dark but had to be home for 9 because mom didn't want us ringing doorbells too late.

Trick or treating usually starts at 530 or 6 around here. I can't remember the exact time. It's light out when we start then gets dark almost half way through it. I like it light out though. Also the time is set by our city so we have no choice at the time we go. It's either 530-730 or 6-8. I dont' know why I can't remember..lol

The whole thing is so strange!! I moved to Northeast Texas from Southern California which is where I grew up. We waited until it was dark to trick or treat all of my life out there...I am sure they all still do that...but here....everybody is practically FINISHED by the time it gets dark!!

I think it depends on your specific neighborhood and the age of your kids. We usually head out after we eat dinner, around 6 or so, but we have little kids. Most people are done by 8P in our neighborhood. I would check around with your neighbors.

Call the Chamber of Commerce or the City Offices. They can tell you what the expected time is. Also, check with the local newspaper or go to the local library and scroll through last years editions about a week before and see if they announced when it was time.

It depends on the ages of the kids.
It's fairly typical for parents of little kids to take them while it is still a bit light out.
Halloween is my favorite and if I can, I get off work early because I will have little ones at my house before dark. And, in October, it gets dark early.

I'm in California but most of my family is in Virginia, Tennessee, NC, etc.
It's the same thing.
The littlest ones usually go out before dark, or right at dusk. It's mostly for safety.
Then, the little ones are home and help give candy to the other kids as they come to the door.

That's how we've always done it anyway.
Every family is different.

Hey C.
Im with you...T-O-T was when its DARK and flashlights. President Bush changed the daylight saving when he was in office and now Day light savings doesnt happen til sometime in Nov...hence the earlier T-O-Ting time. Personally I like it here in KY (eastern time)....starts at like 6 when we see all the cute little kids (like mine who is only almost 3) and then its dark by 830 and you see all the costumes that light up or the highschoolers.
All the kids here...they go out and they will hit houses with the good candy 2 or 3 times...however the daylight time is more for the little ones. I usually stop serving my candy around 830 or 9...and its way dark by then

We go after dinner, whether it is dark or light out. You don't want to go too early or when others are having dinner. I would think no earlier than 6:30pm and then it may be dark by 7:00 and you trick or treat until 8 or so, that way you get started early but still get the fun of it being dark.