Thousands sign petition asking Trump to move Halloween to a Saturday

But is changing the day we celebrate Halloween from Oct. 31 to the last Saturday in October the answer?

Thousands of people seem to think so.

As of Friday morning, nearly 8,000 people have signed a change.org petition to President Donald Trump, urging him to "Join the Halloween Halloween Movement," which calls the Americans to change the date Americans celebrate Halloween.

The petition was started by the Halloween & Costume Association, a nonprofit that represents the costume and Halloween industries.

In the petition, the badociation argues that changing the date would make it safer, longer, stress-free celebration.

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No word yet from the White House if Trump is on board.

According to History.com, Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.

This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often badociated with human death. Celts believed that the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of living and the dead became blurred. On the night of Oct. 31 they celebrate Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

The petition offers these stats and tips:

• There are 3,800 Halloween-related injuries each year. Talk to your kids about safety before they head out;
• 82 percent of parents do not wear high visibility on their costume. Be sure to incorporate reflective tape, glow sticks, finger lights or light up accessories;
• 63 percent of children do not carry a flashlight while they are tick-or-treating. Grab clip-on light if you do not want to carry one!
• Children are more likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween. Discuss safety, pre-plan a road, stay on sidewalks and crosswalks;
• 65 percent of parents do not discuss Halloween safety with their children. Talk with your kids and offer ways to ensure a fun and safe experience;
• 70 percent of parents do not accompany their child's trick-or-treating. The petition advises parents to put on a suit and tag along;
• 51 percent of millennials say Halloween is their favorite holiday. "Why does it get full day?" the petition asks.

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Follow Jackie Rehwald on Twitter: @JackieRehwaldNL

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