How to Celebrate Halloween in Gloucester Township

The Gloucester Township Council this week approved a resolution with suggestions on how local parents and children should celebrate Halloween.

The council recommends that children not go door to door to solicit candy and treats, and that parents should, "restrict their children's Halloween celebrations to private parties between family and friends."

If young children do go door to door for trick-or-treating, the council suggests parents accompany them and thoroughly inspect anything received before it is consumed.

The council extended suggested trick-or-treating hours from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Halloween, which falls on a Thursday this year. The change was made at an action meeting Monday after a parent complained that a suggested end time of 7 p.m. did not provide enough time, especially for working parents, to supervise children.

Council President Glen Bianchini opened Monday's meeting by saying the council had passed this resolution every year since 1982. Bianchini amended his comment later in the meeting. He said the resolution had not been presented and passed for the past two years.

During a brief phone interview Thursday evening, Bianchini said the resolution had mistakenly been left off the agenda for the last two years.

Some parents who attended Monday's meeting, and commented recently on Gloucester Township Patch, indicated they were not aware of council's "voluntary" restrictions on trick-or-treating and feared the municipality was trying to curtail Halloween activities.

Bianchini and other council members stressed their main concern was the safety and welfare of children, especially during evening hours.