The youth of our area, no doubt, are looking forward to their opportunity to roam around their neighborhoods (with parental supervision) to seek their fill of candy as part of the trick-or-treating tradition.

We’ve published a list of local times in several editions in recent days to help our readership know when their local trick-or-treating has been scheduled.

I know this year has probably been a little more confusing than usual when it comes to the practice. In recent years, we’ve noticed many of our communities have begun to communicate with each other when planning their hours, doing their best to ensure most (if not all) takes place on the same night. I’ve had more than a few public officials tell me they do it so there’s not a lot of crossover of trick-or-treaters between the towns.

Typically, having a Friday night trick-or-treating would be perfect. There’s no school the next day, so kids can sleep in a little bit after their nocturnal adventure around town, weening themselves off their sugar high.

However, we all know what also happens on Friday nights in October here in the Ohio Valley…high school football. As a result, several areas opted instead to schedule their trick-or-treating for Thursday, Oct. 30.

In the Northern Panhandle, Weirton announced their hours back in late August or early September. People start asking in July, because they need to plan. Follansbee and Brooke County (unincorporated) joined Weirton in going with Oct. 30, while Wellsburg went back and forth from the 31st to the 30th. Beech Bottom also is the 30th. Weir and Brooke are playing Friday night. Bethany and Windsor Heights seem to be the only Brooke County communities doing things on Halloween itself.

In Hancock County, New Cumberland originally announced plans to have their trick-or-treating on the 30th, making the decision at the October city council meeting. Officials there apparently changed their minds after Hancock County and Chester decided they were observing on Friday. Oak Glen is going to be away that night, playing against Clay-Battelle.

In Jefferson County, Mingo Junction, Steubenville, Toronto, and Wintersville are all doing things Thursday, while Wells Township will be Friday.

Ohio’s high school football season wrapped up this week, but there is still the potential for some of our Jefferson County teams to be in the first week of playoffs.

I understand there is a conflict of mentalities when it comes to something like this. In the Ohio Valley, high school football continues to be a major activity in our communities, bringing together students, players, alumni and more to watch as these youth clash on the gridiron.

But, as observed by the Peanuts character Sally Brown, “Trick or treats come only once a year.”

I can remember one year, Weirton Council moved trick-or-treating to a different day because there was a Steelers game scheduled for Halloween.

Look, I don’t have any kids, and I haven’t been to a high school football game in many years, but should it really be this much of a conflict? It’s OK to miss one game to take your kids trick-or-treating. Besides that, look at the times. Most of them wrap up around 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. It’s always possible to take the little ghosts and goblins around for an hour or so and make most of the game in the same night.

As for me, I’ll be spending my Halloween night the same as I always do…curled up on the couch, reading my copy of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving.

(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is managing editor of The Weirton Daily Times, and can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter/X @CHowellWDT)