It appears that many people, mostly parents, are actively signing a petition to move the date of Halloween to the last Saturday of the month of October. Halloween has longtime been held on the 31st of the month and, unfortunately, usually falls on a weeknight. This means school the next day, shorter trick-or-treating trips, and just not that much fun overall.
The petition was started by the Halloween & Costume Association and they put a high priority on children’s safety during Halloween as well. According to the petition, 3,800 Halloween-related injuries occur each year and 70% of parents don’t accompany their children trick-or-treating. These primary safety concerns have also played a huge role in changing the day of Halloween. How does it make a difference?
The goal of the petition is ultimately to have a full day of Halloween festivities and trick-or-treating rather than cramming it into two hours during the late evening hours, where Halloween-related injuries or accidents can occur.
In addition to the statistics previously mentioned, 82% of parents don’t use high visibility aids on their child’s costume, meaning it’s hard for children to be seeing walking from door to door.
Many of the commenters who are in favor of the petition noted that this is a huge win for schools as well. Many teachers and other faculty members are often preoccupied with costume-related issues on Halloween dress-up day, concerning masks or fake weapons. It’s also a distraction for the students in their learning environment. By eliminating a Halloween during the week, there is no need for a Halloween dress-up day and, therefore, no distraction.
“Have it always on a Saturday so that we don’t have to worry about getting the kids home and in bed early for school the next day,” one parent commented on the petition.
Some commentators chimed in about how community-building would be a huge addition to changing Halloween to a Saturday and during daylight hours. More people are likely to be out and about in the neighborhood and enjoying the holiday. “It gives children and parents alike time to enjoy Halloween without rushing, taking time off work to spend the evening with their children, and takes away the stigma of what some people think the holiday is really about and just makes it a really fun day,” one commenter said.
If you agree with this petition to change the date of Halloween, you can sign the petition here. The petition is calling for 15,000 signatures to present to the President of the United States for a change.
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