All Hallows' Week

This week, I was invited to a Halloween party. Terrific, right? Anything that gives me an excuse to take off my shirt with impunity is fine by me.

But then, as I contemplated any number of shirtless costume possibilities, I noticed the date of the party.

Saturday, October 24th.

Given that Halloween actually falls on a weekend this year -- a Saturday, no less -- there seems to be little reason to hold a party on any other day of the year.

Here, we have a party occurring a whole week before the scheduled event. I believe that this falls wholly outside the scope of Halloween.

In fact, there seem to me to be two perfectly good time periods to host a costume party. From about November 7th until about October 15, you're fine. These days are far enough removed from Halloween that you can costume up and have people think you are going to a run-of-the-mill costume party. And then, from October 29th until about the 3rd of November, you are close enough to Halloween that people will know you are going to a Halloween party.

But any of those other days? People will think you screwed up and are looking at the wrong week on your Google Calendar. That or you are testing out your costume in beta form. Or you're just getting a jump on your trick or-treating. All prior possibilities, of course, don't do wonders for the perception of your sanity.

Maybe I'm thinking too much about this. The people throwing this party do throw terrific parties. And, again, I get to take my shirt off.

That said, I am very hesitant to dress up myself in full costume and then hop on a T for 40 minutes to go to a party. How many people do you actually expect will have Halloween Parties a full week before it is appropriate to do so? I am reluctant to be one of the perhaps three dozen people who put on a cape and outerwear in the entire city on this particular night.

In my mind, there is little difference between this and hosting a Halloween Party on Saturday, November 7th. If I'm wearing a costume seven days after Halloween, it better be because I wandered off and have been lost for a week. A distinct possibility, of course, but nothing I would do intentionally.

So I think I'm going to pass on this one. That or I'll just dress up suit up as Barney Stinson.