Thousands sign petition to MOVE the date of Halloween to the last Saturday of October with a campaign group claiming children will be safer
- Over 67,000 people have signed a petition to change the date of Halloween
- A campaign group wants Halloween to fall on the last Saturday of October
- The holiday takes place on October 31 and organizers say having it on Saturday would mean a ‘safer, longer and stress-free celebration’ for families
- The Halloween and Costume Association say there are 3,800 Halloween related injuries each year, but don’t say how changing the date would prevent them
Over 67,000 people have signed a petition to change the date of Halloween to the last Saturday of October for a ‘longer and stress-free celebration.’
The online campaign to change the date of Halloween, which falls on October, 31, was started by a group called the Halloween and Costume Association.
The change.org petition was started last year and has 67,000 signatures, with 75,000 needed before it is sent to President Donald Trump for consideration.
Halloween falls on a Thursday this year and it would take place on October 26 if it fell on the month’s final Saturday this year.
Over 67,000 people have signed a petition to change the date of Halloween to the last Saturday of October for a ‘longer and stress-free celebration’
The change.org petition was started last year and has 67,000 signatures to change the date of Halloween, with 75,000 needed before it is sent to President Donald Trump for consideration
The group argues that there are 3,800 Halloween-related injuries each year, although they gave no reason as to how injuries would be avoided if it was held on Saturday.
The petition also cites issues like parents not accompanying children who are out trick-or-treating and children not carrying flashlights.
It adds: ‘Children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween. Discuss safety, pre-plan a route, stay on side walks and use cross walks.’
It also claimed that 511% of millennials claim Halloween is their favorite holiday, before adding: ‘why cram it into 2 rushed evening weekday hours when it deserves a full day!?.’
Millennials is the term give to people born between 1983 and the mid 2000s, who are arguably regarded as an entitled generation and are adept at using technology and social media platforms.
And people who signed the petition tended to agree with the organizers, claiming it made more sense to have it at the weekend when children don’t have to go to school.
One person wrote: ‘It makes more sense to 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.
The Halloween and Costume Association said one of the reasons the date should be changed was due to 3,500 Halloween related injuries happening every year
‘Also, for most people, they wouldn’t have to worry about working that day or the day following.’
Another user said: ‘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.’
Halloween started with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to fend off ghosts.
Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints and All Saints Day included several the traditions of Samhain in the eight century.
Over time, Halloween later became a day of activities like trick-or-treating, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating sweet treats.