Countdown to Halloween: October 30 - Devil's Night?

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Apparently in some areas of the US the night before Halloween goes by a special name. According to the American Dialect Survey, in Michigan it's "Devil's night", along the Atlantic seaboard from Maryland to Massachusetts it's "trick night", in Vermont and western Mass it's "cabbage night", and to some in the NYC area it's "goosy night". Here in California, it isn't called anything at all. Whatever it's called where you live, be safe and try not to cause any permanent damage!American dialect map: the night before Halloween

For more on the culture of Halloween, check out the Snopes page on Halloween Urban Legends.

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Comments

Anonymous said…
I grew up in Chicago and we did nothing on the night before Halloween.
Never even heard of Devil's night until college.

We just saved it all up for the 31st-- shaving cream, eggs, and sometimes mustard.
6:24 PM
Anonymous said…
Here in Indiana it's known as 'oh crap, gotta go buy the candy!' night!

We never got anything cool on the night before, but I still have tons of fond memories of the actual day.
8:00 PM
Harbormaster said…
This is interesting. I never thought about varied names for Halloween. I'm going to complain to those guys with their map of only the lower 48. They left out the upper one.
11:17 PM
Anonymous said…
We hardly celebrate it here in New Zealand. Interestingly some people are choosing to have a "Light Party" to celebrate in a positive fashion (they don't like the 'trick' aspect to Halloween or the risk of kids going door to door)
11:19 PM
Anonymous said…
Halloween has just become a part of Aussie culture. Not a normative part, but a part. Lots of my friends have sweets or have put up "no trick or treat" signs. Not where I live though. Halloween has not seriously hit Canberra yet. Maybe all the politicans scare the spirits away?
1:19 AM
Peggy K said…
Where I grew up (out in the 'burbs) there wasn't much "tricking" - at least none of my friends were involved in tricks. I think it's much more common now for kids to go to Halloween parties than to go door to door like I did as a kid. Safety and all that. I'm curious to see if we get any t-or-t'ers tonight.
11:53 AM
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