Halloween is on October 31 so that is Trick or Treat night. It worked for us 4 when we were kids it worked for my children and it is working for my Grandchildren. Have your party when ever you want but leave the holiday on it's correct night! It is not the same when a few kids come on 2 or 3 different nights. We could never please everyone so let it be.

Common now, are people really this STUPID?

I agree that school night trick-or-treating can make for blurry eyes the next morning at the bus stop, and "come back tomorrow" comments are indeed rude, however halloween traditions do vary and make parents' choices all the more confusing. My family moved to the Hot Springs area from Ohio shortly before halloween 2010. We asked neighbors, school families, and even searched the local newspapers for confirmation on the trick-or-treat times and dates. We were given varying answers by some, and shrugs of equalled confusion by others. We went out Saturday with a neighbor, while receiving trick-or-treaters that night at our home, but also had costumed visitors on Sunday. No big deal, but clarification would have been nice. You see, at our old home in Ohio, trick-or-treat schedules are posted in the paper. Each small town, village, or community has a different time as well as date. This allows families to stay home one day to pass out treats, and to go out and get them another. Each is started by a loud siren from the local fire house or disaster alarm system and ended the same way. No confusion as to when to turn off the front light and stash the treat bowl. In another varying tradition, where I grew up in Virginia, beggars night was always celebrated the Saturday closest to October 31st from 6 pm - 8pm. So common sense not withstanding, I was unsure if Hot Springs had their own method, schedule, or tradition we were to follow. I know it isn't molecular biology, nor as important, but as parents, creating fun and memorable experiences with our kids is something we all aspire to achieve. Part of that fun is checking out each others costumes, saying hello to fellow trick-or-treaters on the street and enjoying the sense of community when you see dozens of other folks out doing the same thing. We will go out the 31st as we now know our new town's routine, but won't scare away anyone who comes another day. After all they may be from another halloween town, USA.

I think it is common sense to trick-or-treat on the weekend immediately before or after the holiday. When I was a kid, this was never a problem, because people understood the idea of loads of candy and kids being out late in the evening on a school night was a bad idea. Last year, I had several idiots answer their doors on Saturday evening saying "sorry, its not Halloween, come back tomorrow night?" If that happens this year, someone may get punched in the face to make me feel better, because being like that is just stupid. I will be giving out candy at my house on whatever day parents feel fit to bring their little goblins out.