Should Halloween Be on a Saturday?

For many of us, October means changing leaves, apple picking, and celebrating one of the most fun days of the year—Halloween.

Halloween is always celebrated on October 31, no matter what day of the week it is. But every few years, the holiday falls on a Saturday. When that happens, you don’t have to go to school. You can enjoy a whole day of spooky, sugary fun.

Some Americans think Halloween should always be on a Saturday. In 2019, about 80,000 people signed a petition, or letter, asking the U.S. president to change Halloween from October 31 to the last Saturday of the month.

That sparked a debate: Should we change Halloween’s date?

For many of us, October means changing leaves, apple picking, and celebrating one of the most fun days of the year—Halloween.

Halloween is always celebrated on October 31. It doesn’t matter what day of the week it is. But every few years, the holiday falls on a Saturday. When that happens, you don’t have to go to school. You can enjoy a whole day of spooky, sugary fun.

Some Americans think Halloween should always be on a Saturday. In 2019, about 80,000 people signed a petition, or letter. It asked the U.S. president to change Halloween from October 31 to the last Saturday of the month.

That sparked a debate: Should we change Halloween’s date?

Moving Halloween to a Saturday would make the day extra special. Instead of sitting in class all day, you could carve pumpkins or go on a haunted hayride. You wouldn’t have to rush home after school to quickly put on your costume. You could spend the entire day working on those vampire fangs or that mermaid tail.

Best of all? You wouldn’t have to get up early for school the next morning, tired after a long night of trick-or-treating.

Besides, if Halloween were on a Saturday, kids could begin trick-or-treating earlier. They could avoid walking around their neighborhood at night, when accidents are more likely. That would make Halloween safer for everyone.

Moving Halloween to a Saturday has its upsides. It would make the day extra special. You wouldn’t have to sit in class all day. Instead, you could carve pumpkins. Or you could go on a haunted hayride. You wouldn’t have to rush home to put on your costume. You could work on those vampire fangs the whole day.

Best of all? The day after Halloween would be a Sunday. After a long night of trick-or-treating, you wouldn’t have to go to school.

Plus, if Halloween were on a Saturday, kids could begin trick-or-treating earlier. They could avoid walking around their neighborhood at night. Accidents are more likely to happen at night. So Halloween would be safer for everyone.

But not everyone believes that moving Halloween to a Saturday is a good idea. Why? One reason is that Saturday is a day of rest and prayer for followers of some religions. If Halloween were to always fall on a Saturday, some people might not be able to celebrate it.

Another reason: Halloween has been celebrated on October 31 for centuries. About 2,000 years ago, the Celts, a group of people in Europe, celebrated the beginning of winter around October 31. They believed that ghosts visited Earth during that time. Some experts think that the Celts wore costumes made from animal skins and heads to hide from the ghosts.

In the 700s, followers of the Roman Catholic religion began celebrating All Hallows’ Day on November 1. (Hallowed means “holy.”) Some Celtic traditions, like wearing costumes, may have continued on All Hallows’ Eve. That day later became known as “Halloween.”

By the 1800s, many people from Europe had moved to the U.S. They brought Halloween traditions, like lighting jack-o’-lanterns, with them. Soon, celebrating Halloween became common in the U.S.

Because of this long history, some people think it would be wrong to change Halloween’s date. After all, holidays are about tradition, not about what’s convenient.

Plus, even if Halloween were to officially change to the last Saturday of October, some people might keep celebrating on October 31. Part of Halloween’s magic is that it brings friends and neighbors together. If people were to celebrate on two different days, this sense of community could disappear.

So what do you think: Should Halloween always be on a Saturday or not?

But not everyone believes that moving Halloween is a good idea. Why? One reason is that Saturday is a day of rest and prayer for followers of some religions. If Halloween were always on a Saturday, some people might not be able to celebrate it.

Another reason: Halloween has a long history. It’s been celebrated on October 31 for hundreds of years. About 2,000 years ago, there was a group of people in Europe called the Celts. They celebrated the beginning of winter around October 31. They believed that ghosts visited Earth at that time. Some experts think that the Celts wore costumes made from animal skins and heads. This way they could hide from the ghosts.

In the 700s, followers of the Roman Catholic religion began celebrating All Hallows’ Day. It was on November 1. (Hallowed means “holy.”) Some Celtic traditions, like wearing costumes, may have continued on All Hallows’ Eve. That day later became known as “Halloween.”

By the 1800s, many people from Europe had moved to the U.S. They brought Halloween traditions with them. One example is lighting jack-o’-lanterns. Soon, celebrating Halloween became common in the U.S.

Because of this long history, some people think it would be wrong to change Halloween’s date. They say holidays are about tradition, not about what’s convenient.

Plus, some people might keep celebrating on October 31 anyway. Part of Halloween’s magic is that it brings friends and neighbors together. If people were to celebrate on two different days, this sense of community could disappear.

So what do you think: Should Halloween always be on a Saturday or not?