by Hadley Fay (’26) | October 7, 2022
Ghouls, ghosts, and pumpkins galore. Staying up late. Laughing with friends while devouring buckets full of candy. Halloween is inarguably one of the best nights of the year, but usually it lands on a night when school looms the next day. But what if it didn’t?
There are various cultural reasons why Halloween should remain on October 31. The holiday stems from the ancient festival of Samhain, which the Celtics celebrated during the beginning of their calendar year on November 1st.
Historical context aside, changing the day would only apply to the tradition of trick-or-treating, and other larger-scale festivities. By setting it as the last Saturday of the month, the spooky celebrations that we know and love would drastically improve. Let’s take a look at the reasons why:
First, trick-or-treating could start earlier in the day. Fewer people work on the weekends than on the weekdays which, would potentially allow some parents to take their younger children out trick-or-treating earlier than normal. This would help to ensure the safety of young kids as they would go door-to-door in broad daylight rather than in complete darkness. It would also reduce the likelihood of possible meltdowns that may occur past a certain bedtime.
Next, smaller-scale and local celebrations could last all day. With many people having the day off, parades, jack-o-lantern carving, and other activities could all constitute a 24-hour-long marathon of terrifically horrifying events. Friends and family could get together and join in on the frightening fun without the added stress of weekday commitments.
Perhaps the largest benefit of this proposition would apply to schools, as it would limit the number of school hours wasted by diminished student productivity. The issue with having Halloween the night before a school day is quite apparent. After a night full of excitement and sugar highs, few students will be able to stay fully awake and attentive for longer than five minutes. Similar things can be said for Halloween on a school day. If kids are bouncing in their seats, eagerly staring at the clock in anticipation of other festivities, very little work can be completed. Not only does the change of date benefit students, but it helps teachers as well.
In conclusion, there is only one night a year when everybody can go out and show off their spooky selves. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that this holiday reaches its greatest potential, which can only be achieved if it is on a Saturday. Happy spooky season!
P.S. I would make a skeleton joke but you wouldn’t find it very humerus.
