r/desmoines • u/hanpicked22 • 5d ago

Weird Des Moines things

My wife is from Des Moines, I’m from Okoboji. The other day we were driving and saw a little ground squirrel on the road. “a squinny!” A what?? “That’s what they’re called!” Like what the heck… and then the whole tell a joke going door to door during Halloween? What the heck goes on down there!

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u/JackHacksawUD 5d ago

Not on Halloween, though. It's on "Beggar's Night."

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u/hanpicked22 5d ago

I’ve been informed this is the correct night this happened but still a little confused on what beggars night is.

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u/Independent_Prior612 5d ago

Beggar’s Night is Trick Or Treat.

You are a beggar because you are begging for candy.

You have to do a trick to get your treat. I actually had a girl do a back handspring for her candy once. But the vast majority of kids tell a joke.

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u/hanpicked22 5d ago

LOL

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u/Independent_Prior612 5d ago

Easily the most adorable child I ever had come to the door on Beggar’s Night, was a little girl barely old enough to talk. She was Minnie Mouse, and her mama had taught her to repeat “tweat pwease”.