With Halloween falling on a Monday this year, many are wondering what acceptable trick-or-treat times may be. What times does trick or treating start? What time does trick or treating end? Find out the answer to these and more burning Halloween 2022 questions, including how to trick or treat safely!
What time does trick or treating start?
Trick-or-treat start times will vary depending on where you live, as well as how old kids are. Typically, the earlier it is, the younger the trick-or-treaters. In most communities, trick-or-treating begins around sunset, the time of which may vary by your time zone (but typically, on Halloween, it’s around 5:30 and 6 p.m.). A 2015 poll indicates that most respondents believe trick or treating should start at 6 p.m., with many also advocating for a 5 p.m. kickoff to the festivities. Trick-or-treat start times can also vary on what day of the week Halloween falls on each year. Halloween 2022 falls on a Monday, so you may see costumed kids out and about around the time their parents are done with work.
What time does trick or treating end?
Trick or treating, according to popular polling, typically ends around 9 p.m. each Halloween for older kids, with younger kids tiring out at around 8 p.m. Because Halloween 2022 falls on a Monday, kids may tuck in earlier since it’s a school night (and many of their parents may have work in the morning). You can also look for simple cues, like neighbors turning their lights out, to figure out when it’s time to wrap up and take your loot home for the night.
Are people trick or treating this year?
It remains to be seen how many people will be trick or treating this year, but thanks to vaccines now being administered to all ages, we may see more trick-or-treaters on Halloween 2022 than we did on Halloween 2021 or Halloween 2020.
Can we go trick-or-treating this year?
Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), says that trick or treating in small groups, especially outdoors, should be safe for kids. “If you’re going to be outdoors, absolutely [it’s safe],” she told CBS’ Face the Nation last year. “I wouldn’t necessarily go to a crowded Halloween party, but I think that we should be able to let our kids go trick-or-treating in small groups.”
How can we practice safe trick-or-treating?
Make sure kids (especially those under 12) are supervised and ensure that at least one child in every group is equipped with a flashlight. Make sure kids don’t go inside any strangers’ homes or vehicles for candy, and give your child a cell phone to use for emergencies. Plan a curfew in advance, and for younger children, you may want to pin a note with their name and your contact information inside their costume in case of an emergency. To prepare your own home for trick-or-treaters, make sure your front porch or steps are well-lit and free of anything kids may trip over, and secure your pets to make sure they don’t run outside when you open the front door. You may also want to have a teal pumpkin on display to let kids with food allergies know they can get safe allergy-free Halloween treats at your house. Next, here are 50 non-candy Halloween goodies that trick-or-treaters will love!
