November 1st is a highly underrated day. Sure, a lot is happening this weekend in general, in New York specifically, Halloween, Daylight Savings Time, NYC Marathon, and those are all fun and interesting things. November 1st however, is one of the most overlooked, yet equally as fun days for Halloween activity. All across New York and cities and campuses around the U.S, there are costumed men and women stumbling home, hung-over, still dressed in the previous night’s costume.

There are plenty of other nights throughout the year where a the same type of migration occurs, January 1st, March 19th, June 15th (if you’re looking to get busy on Flag Day, no shame, no judgement). But November 1st is special. For, on this day, the real costume parade occurs. As you sit sipping your morning coffee, gaze out the window, see if you can guess the type of animal or sexy profession is passing before you.

The city begs, give me your hung-over, your hungry, your possibly-still-drunk, as they pour forth from apartments not their own, in neighborhoods unfamiliar to them. Into the daylight they stumble, consulting their phones on which direction home may be. These migrants pass one another silently on the street and in the subway, hiding the remnants of now costumes past. They can rest assured, however, that they are no alone in their scantily-clad plight. They are not the first, nor will they be the last to traipse home after a night of costumed galavanting and fall into bed, Seamless the greasiest food possible, while turning to Netflix and left-over candy.

For generations past, and for generations to come, there will be these cloaked wanderers traveling through the city streets in the early hours of November 1st. It is almost as traditional as Halloween itself.

And if you’re lucky enough to receive a “trick” or a “treat” in the form of someone else’s company on the night of Halloween, whether it is a one-night-stand or the start of a long and meaningful relationship, it would be a nice, and quite welcome, gesture to send that person off in a car to their home.

Whether you know this migration as the Walk of Shame or Stride of Pride, make it you own. You’re walking in a costume on the morning of November 1st, walk strongly, walk bravely, and watch out from those marathon runners, they’ll run you right over. Do consider making the journey easier with Carmel. We’ll pick you up, even if you’re still dressed as half a sexy kitten.