IT SEEMS a bit early to be writing about Halloween, but some folks are already buying decorations and planning parties for that spooky evening. So now is a good time for a reminder that Halloween 2007 will not be like Halloween 2006.
Daylight saving time has been changed and the sun will be going down a full hour later by Emporia clocks that day. Under the old schedule for changing the clocks, Daylight saving time ended early in the morning of the last Sunday in October. That meant that Halloween was always on standard time. This year, the changeover does not come until Nov. 4.
The longer run of daylight saving time is supposed to save energy and promote business. That may or may not be the case. But one thing the change will do is give young children more time to trick-or-treat safely in daylight. This Halloween, the sun will not go down until 6:27 p.m., which will give the kids time to get home from school, do their homework, put on their costumes and hit the streets while the town is still filled with golden autumn light.
Any child who cannot collect enough candy before 6:30 to get royally sick on for the next few days is just not trying.
Wandering around town as Spider-Man or a princess or a monster in the full light of day may not be as much fun as rapping on doors in the darkness, but it is certainly safer.
On the subject of safety, isn’t it time for Emporia to impose community-wide trick-or-treating hours? Some cities already limit trick-or-treating to Halloween and to specific hours.
A Halloween ordinance makes sense for several reasons. The first, of course, is safety. If celebrating is limited to daylight and early twilight hours, children can see where they are going and motorists can see them going there.
Another reason is convenience. For the people handing out candy, Halloween starts to get old after the first hour. A full hour of ooohing and aaahing can be tiring.
Then after the first 90 minutes, the cute little children are replaced by adolescents (many of whom do not bother with costumes but just want free candy). The big kids are friendly enough, but some old folks feel threatened by them.
An open-ended Halloween makes people feel as though they are confined to their homes. People keep coming to the door. Try to leave the house, and double-parked cars and crowds of children dashing through traffic make the streets dangerous. Just backing out of a driveway is a hair-raising experience.
The extra hour of sunlight will go far toward making this year’s Halloween a safe one in Emporia. Setting hours for trick-or-treating will make it even safer.
treetrunk (anonymous) says...
Sounds good - I will support hours for trick or treating. Getting the city council to do somehting right might be the problem.
August 25, 2007 at 6:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CAFEmporia (anonymous) says...
The city council might have a recommendation to make on this score, and if so, that's just great. However, there are a number of problems with such an ordinance. One is the 1st Amendment, of all things. Freedom of speech means freedom of expression and, dang it, that's what Halloween is all about.
Honestly, we get fewer Halloweenies every year, sad to say. I loved Halloween as a child and the father of a child. I miss going out there in the dark getting my feet soaked and collecting sugar highs that will last 'til Valentine's. Now, we stay "open" for an hour or two, hang out and read books when it gets slow, and then turn out the lights and shut it all down.
I think that's enough.
Craig French
August 25, 2007 at 7:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
I used to enjoy Halloween, and even decorated the porch more than I do now. The little ones have always been fun to see and treat. But what changed it for me was the adolescent set who arrive with no masks, just grunts and glares. No thanks. For several years now, after about an hour and a half, I turn out the lights. I agree with an ordinance to limit trick or treat hours, but I don't know how such an ordinance would be enforced.
August 26, 2007 at 5:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
beth (anonymous) says...
Sorry, Pat, but I think you're wrong on this one.
Collecting all candy by 6:30? And mandating a city ordinance?! Way to be a killjoy!
A lot of us have jobs that go until 5 p.m., then we have to pick up our children, run whatever the errand du jours is, get home, make dinner, and get the children into their costume. If we get that done by 6:30 it's amazing!
Now figure in the time to drive the children to relatives' or friends' houses, then to key neighborhoods around town - again, working with children here who don't always understand adult time lines - good luck!
If you feel you've done your part for Halloween after an hour or 90 minutes, then make it clear (turn off your porch light or whatever) that you're closed for business. I don't know too many parents who let their children go to a darkened house.
Please, remember what it was like to have small children and realize we just want to enjoy the great community of Emporia and have fun with our kids.
P.S. If a city ordinance is passed, you can guarantee I'll be bringing my kids to your house LAST. See you at the "late" hour of 8 p.m.!
August 27, 2007 at 3:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )