10-30-2023 4:21am

THE HISTORY OF

10 Regional Names for the Night Before Halloween

Whether you call it “Mischief Night,” “Devil's Night,” or something else, it all means one thing: wanton destruction of property.

By Jake Rossen, Mental Floss

Everyone is well acquainted with All Hallow’s Eve, better known as Halloween. But depending on your region, you might have a name for the night before the trick-or-treating starts. Known as Mischief Night, Devil’s Night, and others, the night before Halloween is considered a time to let out some juvenile energy and abandon societal norms for a bit. Check out seven alternative names for October 30.

1. Mischief Night

Residents of Philadelphia and New Jersey are familiar with Mischief Night, a time for some pre-Halloween pranking and mischievousness—the tricking without the treating, in other words. According to Atlas Obscura, one of the earliest mentions of Mischief Night comes in the 1700s, when young hooligans were reportedly pulling up fence posts, tipping over carts, or greasing doorknobs.

The twist? Initially, Mischief Night was associated with May Day, or the start of summer. In early 1900s England, it became intertwined with Guy Fawkes Night. As Halloween increased in popularity in the United States in the 20th century, so did Mischief Night. While the pranks were and are largely harmless, participants can sometimes get a little too mischievous for their own good: In 1991, there were a reported 160 fires started in Camden, New Jersey.

2. Devil’s Night

In some areas, the night before Halloween is known as “Devil’s Night.” / CSA Images/Vetta/Getty Images

If you’re from Detroit, you probably refer to October 30 as Devil’s Night. Like Mischief Night, it’s a time for locals to engage in some boorish behavior. Some believe Devil’s Night experienced a spike in popularity during the stock market crash of 1929, when more and more people needed an outlet to express their frustration. Still, Devil’s Night was mostly genteel until the 1980s, when, according to the DFINISH READING HERE