The night before All Saints’ Day
Halloween is October 31, the evening before All Saints’ Day on November 1. Its name is a shortened form of “All Hallows’ Eve”. Many of its customs — bonfires, costumes and the idea of the dead being close — are often linked to the old Gaelic festival of Samhain, although historians debate how direct the connection is.
Costumes, pumpkins and trick-or-treating
Carved pumpkins are the best-known symbol. The tradition of carving lanterns is generally traced to turnips and other root vegetables in Ireland and Scotland, with pumpkins taking over in North America. Children go door to door for treats in costume, usually after dark, and neighbourhoods often settle on informal hours.
The date
October 31 is fixed, so there is no rule to work out. Only the weekday changes: on a weekday, trick-or-treating fits around school and dinner; on a weekend, parties run later. It is not a statutory holiday, so offices and schools are open unless the date falls on a weekend. The countdown ends at the first moment of October 31 on your device’s clock.
Safety and courtesy
A porch light that is on is commonly taken as a sign that a house welcomes trick-or-treaters, and a dark porch means it does not. Costumes that are easy to see in the dark and masks that do not block vision make the evening safer, and younger children generally go out with an adult. Treats with clear allergy labels are a kindness to children with food allergies.
Planning the night
In much of Canada it is cool and dark early in the evening by the end of October, so plan warm layers under costumes and add something reflective. The countdown timer can set a start and a curfew, and the clock keeps the route on time. You can embed the countdown on a school or community page. Remembrance Day follows eleven days later, and Canadian Thanksgiving comes two or three weeks before.
More countdowns
Need a different date? Use the countdown to any date or count up with time since a date.
Questions
What date is Halloween this year?
Halloween is always October 31. The countdown above always shows the next one, so it is right for the current year without you looking anything up. Only the weekday changes, which affects when parties and trick-or-treating happen.
Is Halloween a holiday in Canada?
No. Halloween is widely celebrated, but it is not a statutory holiday, so schools and offices are open as usual unless it falls on a weekend. Most of the fun happens in the evening.
What does the word Halloween mean?
It is a shortened form of “All Hallows’ Eve”, the evening before All Saints’ Day on November 1. The old word “hallow” means saint, so the name simply means the eve of the day for saints.
What time does trick-or-treating start?
There is no set time. Communities usually settle on after dusk through the early evening, and many neighbourhoods and municipalities suggest hours. Check local notices for your area, and use the countdown to plan when to head out.