The "An Answer To One Of My Comments" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Back in early October of this year I posted a story about pumpkins and the upcoming celebration of Halloween.  A few days later someone left a comment at the bottom of the story that read: Speaking of Halloween...when did Lancaster City stop having Trick or Treat on Tick Tock Night which was the night before Halloween Day? I was trying to find out the origin of that custom, but the internet is silent on this topic. Thought you may know.  Well I too explored the internet as well as a few books and learned a few things I hadn't known before, but may not have come up with an answer for Sharon, the author of the comment.  Seems that the night before Halloween has a special name, but no one can quite agree on what it may be called.  There are two leading contenders which are mischief night and devil's night.  It seems to depend upon the geographical area or region where you may live as to what you may call the night before Halloween.  My guess is that Sharon already knows this, but for many others, it may be something you never knew before.  To tell you the truth, I had never heard of Tick Tock Night before the comment left on my story.  In Pennsylvania, my home state, as well as neighboring New Jersey, the night before Halloween is known as Mischief night with other locales having cabbage night, devil's eve, gate night, trick night and goosy night.  In other areas the night before Halloween is known as trick night as in trick-or-treat where petty vandalism, such as smashing pumpkins, egging cars and throwing toilet-paper on houses and trees takes place.  In Lancaster when children, up to 12 years of age, head around neighborhoods dressed in costume and carrying a bag or plastic pumpkin, they say to the resident of the home they have approached, "Trick-or-treat".  Thus, if you don't give them a piece of candy or maybe a piece of fruit, they may play a trick on you.  What that may be depends upon how well your house is lit and how old the child may be.  I think it's rather interesting to see an entire tree decorated in toilet paper which seems to happen quite a few places every year in Lancaster.  Now my question is: If you have a special name for the night before Halloween, don't most of those names signify something illegal?  And, do some locations actually publicize this night as if it is expected that children will be wandering around on two successive evenings?  I did learn a few other facts that I can share with you.  Halloween has been celebrated in the United States since the 1800s, since Irish and Scottish immigrants brought their All Hallows' Eve traditions with them.  And a few regional celebrations I've found are:  (1) Holly Eve - Arkansas, Missouri, West Virginia and Pennylvania (even I never knew of this) refer to Halloween as Holly Eve, (2) Poke of Moonshine - Connecticut and South Carolina calls the Jack o' lantern by that name, (3) False Face - Ohio, Connecticut, Mississippi, Kentucky, Indiana, Texas and one more time, Pennsylvania refer to their Halloween mask as a false face. (4) "Help The Poor" or "Soap or Eats" - In California, Ohio and Minnesota may say this when asking for candy.  (5) Goosey Night or Picket Night is held in New Jersey and may refer to getting stuck on a picket fence while running or being goosed, meaning to poke or startle, (6) Corn or Doorbell Night is held in Ohio where throwing shelled corn or ringing the doorbell and running takes place. (7) Moving Night - In Maryland this night is for moving items around on the porch or yard of the person you are visiting for candy. (8) Ticktack Night - Takes place in Iowa, Ohio, Maryland, New Jersey, Kentucky and once again Pennsylvania.  Noisemakers are used when rapping on a door or window to ask for your treat.  So, Sharon, no where did I find Tick Tock Night.  If you ever find information on it, leave me another comment on any of my stories.  I would love to know what it may be.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.