Trick-or-Treating in Center City Philadelphia

This was our first Halloween here in the city. We expected that Halloween is celebrated just about the same everywhere. But things in Philadelphia are a bit different.

First of all, no one rings doorbells or knocks on doors. People go out on their steps with a basket of candy and sit there while the children come around, say trick-or-treat, and get candy. Everyone chats with each other, asking you where you live, what you think of the neighborhood, and so forth. The neighbors also talk with each other. On some blocks the adults all get together and put the candy in piles on a central table together with pizza and snacks. In Rittenhouse, residents sipped wine and beer.

Halloween was a social event, not the individualistic hunt for candy. This is totally different that what we were used to. But I like it quite a bit.

Here are some tips I learned:
- Trick-or-treating starts around 5:15.
- Go to the half-blocks (the small streets between the main streets).
- Rittenhouse is the best area. Especially Delancey. Addison was also good.
- Don't go down one side of the street a few blocks and then come back for the other side. It is much more efficient to do whole blocks at a time.
- By 8:00 most people have gone back inside. Some stay out till 9:00, but not many.
- If you are handing out candy, you have to stay outside. A co-worker who just moved into the city thought she would just turn all her lights on, open the main door, keeping the glass outer door closed. The basket of candy was even right in front of the glass door. No one came to her house at all.

It was a lot of fun. By the end of the night, my son (9 months old) had gotten the hang of reaching into the baskets and pulling out shiny candy. He thought it was a great game. Too bad he will not be able to enjoy his own spoils. But we sure are happy!!