Last week, a petition to change the date of Halloween went viral as parents flocked to add their signatures and voice their support for having trick-or-treating take place annually on the last Saturday of October instead of on the 31st.
Now, the growing petition is in the news once again after its originators have announced their intent has shifted a little: rather than change Halloween entirely, they want to create a new day specifically for the candy and costumed festivities, according to Cafe Mom .
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Now, with over 100,000 signatures, the petition has been given the green-light to be sent to the desk of President Trump himself for review.
The petition was first launched back in 2018 by the non-profit Halloween & Costume Association.
Posted on Change.org , it originally had a target of about 70,000 signatures in order to see the date of Halloween changed from October 31 to the last Saturday of the month.
This, it insisted, would help make Halloween a “safer, longer, stress-free celebration.”
The petition was fairly low-key and didn’t gain speed until last month as Halloween loomed nearer.
Its support suddenly exploded, earning well over its projected support of 70,000 signatures, so much so that the target was changed to 150,000. Parents who signed the petition said changing the holiday would definitely benefit everyone in the long run.
“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,” one person wrote. “Also, for most people, they wouldn’t have to worry about working that day or the day following.”
There’s also the pretty big safety issue that Halloween poses every year.
With the holiday taking place so late in the season, it can make for a pretty dark night for children spent running from door to door and, most likely, across potentially busy streets as they hold out their sacks for candy.
There’s no guarantee that the 31st will fall on a Saturday or a Sunday, and it it takes place on a weekday, that means kids usually can’t take to the streets until they’re home from school and their parents are home from work, which could mean waiting until the sun is down.
Although the petition initially sought to change the date of Halloween completely, it had to change its objective a little.
Since Halloween isn’t an official national holiday , President Trump couldn’t change its date, unless he pushed the legislative branch of the government to pass a bill making Halloween a government regulated holiday, at which point he could then sign it into law.
So instead, the petition is now looking to add an additional day of Halloween festivities, one which would allow for families to opt for daytime trick-or-treating, on the last Saturday of the month.
Now, after earning over 100,000 signatures, the White House is required to review and respond to it.
This is according to WhiteHouse.gov , which basically means it’ll be left up to the Trump administration to decide if this proposed additional day of Halloween, known as ” National Trick or Treat Day”, will become a real thing.
Even Snickers has joined in on the movement and offered their support (and chocolate) for its cause.
On Friday, the chocolate treat company tweeted announcing that if “National Trick or Treat Day” happens, they’ll offer 1 million free candy bars to the people of America.
So suffice it to say, the stakes are pretty high.
Just like with anything, this movement has its critics, particularly people who think it’s entirely unnecessary.
Many have argued that the change is simply a matter of trying to make the night of celebration more convenient for parents.
“Christmas isn’t always on a Saturday,” one Twitter user wrote. “Perhaps these same folks will want it moved to the closest weekend as well. you know, for convenience!”
Others have pointed out that moving Halloween to a Saturday could actually be more dangerous than if it was left alone.
After all, most adults don’t actually celebrate Halloween until the weekend anyway, which has the potential of creating even riskier nights out on the streets for children.
“Horrible idea,” one user wrote. “We’d be putting trick or treaters on the road with all the drunk drivers going to/from Halloween parties since most are held on the last Saturday of October. BIG NO!!”
Now it’s up to the White House to decide whether or not “National Trick or Treat Day” will become an actual thing. Until then, I suggest reading up on how to keep your kids as safe as possible on Halloween no matter what.
h/t: Cafe Mom
