Should The Date For Halloween Be Moved?
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – More than 31,000 people have signed a petition asking the White House to change the date of Halloween.
Costumes and candy are hallmarks of the spooky holiday. The date has also been a staple – October 31st.
Now, members of the Halloween and Costume Association are trying to change that, saying when the holiday falls during the work week it puts a damper on celebrations.
They've started a petition to have Americans celebrate Halloween on the last Saturday in October, regardless of the date.
The mere mention of such a change has people talking.
"It might be easier, but it feels a little wrong," one person told CBS2's Elise Finch.
"There's no pressure to leave work early to get home before it's too dark out. You could have a party on that day always," another trick-or-treater said.
"No, who do they think they are to move Halloween?" one person, unamused by the petition, added.
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Howard Beige is the executive vice president of Rubie's costume company. He's also a Halloween and Costume Association board member.
He said a permanent move to Saturday would allow more people to enjoy the holiday.
"Why should people have to rush? They could enjoy the whole day, trick-or-treat during the daylight hours, and not have to get up for work or school the next morning."
Beige said that in the past 15 years, Halloween has become a real family affair and retailers want to capitalize on that by making sure it always falls on a Saturday.
Robert Pinzon owns Abracadabra Costumes on West 21st Street in New York City.
He isn't a member of the association pushing to change Halloween, but says he would definitely benefit from the move.
"I think it would be more organized. We would know what to expect. Right now, when it's during the week, we don't know what to expect."
Some parents CBS2 spoke to say Saturday celebrations would certainly make things easier.
But some people aren't fully sold on the idea and others downright hate it.
"It doesn't make sense. The reason for Halloween is to celebrate the day of the dead because the next day is All Saint's Day which is November 1st. So that's the entire concept of why they chose the 31st to begin with," Antonio Centeno of Midtown explained.
Organizers of the campaign for a Saturday Halloween say most people don't know or care about the origins of Halloween so changing the date wouldn't be an issue.
They do believe it would lead to safer, longer, and more stress-free celebrations.
