Some "brilliant" politician in my lovely state (That's Connecticut, BTdubs) wants to legally change the date that Halloween is celebrated so that it always falls on the last Saturday in October. Say October ends on a Friday in a given year. You mean to tell me that one measly friggin state (and a not very big one at that) in one country in the ENTIRE WORLD is going to celebrate Halloween six days early? Um...newsflash sir: Not going to happen.
I understand the guy's reasoning. Hallowren involves trick or treating, which many a school-aged kid (and even some beyond) like to participate in. Obviously Halloween falling on a school night is a less than ideal scenario. I know when I was a little kid I was disappointed when it fell on a school night. In retrospect though, it wasn't all that bad. It's not like I wasn't allowed to go at all - but then again, my parents always took me at around 7 and we were done by 8 or 8:30...and unless I had a super elaborate makeup scheme for a costume - one year I was a witch with a TON of green crap caked on my face - I was definitely in bed by 9 or MAYBE 9:30 depending on how long categorizing my haul took. Overall not TOO TOO TOO unreasonable given that it's a special occasion.
Parents need to show some common sense. Weekend or not, your kid doesn't need to be out until some late hour getting candy. If the proposing politician is considering this because his constituents are whining that their kids are out too late on a school night, that shouldn't be his problem and he sure as hell shouldn't be wasting his time looking into changing the date. Last time I checked (and I'm not even a parent) it was the parent's job to make sure their kid is in at a reasonable hour, especially on a school night. Seriously, if having your kid out late on a school night is such an issue, nobody is stopping you from organizing and throwing a party on a night convenient for you. Rope a bunch of your friends with kids or friends of your kids into coming...or hell, invite half the neighborhood over and hand out candy at the party. Then if Halloween is on a weekday, like this year you can feel free to keep your kid home without fear of them missing out.
Nobody dares go around and demand that Christmas be changed to the last Sunday in December because it would be more convenient for family gatherings - people just hold off on the gatherings until it works for them (ie weekend before or a few days after). Honestly, Hallowern needs to be treated with the same respect. Just because it has basis in pagan religion, which Christianity abhors, doesn't mean it holds any LESS significance to people who participate in said pagan religion (or religions). Who are we to arbitrarily change the date of something that has been happening for centuries out of the sake of convenience? People like to argue that Christmas isn't really a Santa present free-for-all, but Halloween isn't just a candy costume free-for-all either. Just something to ponder :)
What do you think of this proposal to change the date of Halloween? Good idea or completely ridiculous?
I understand the guy's reasoning. Hallowren involves trick or treating, which many a school-aged kid (and even some beyond) like to participate in. Obviously Halloween falling on a school night is a less than ideal scenario. I know when I was a little kid I was disappointed when it fell on a school night. In retrospect though, it wasn't all that bad. It's not like I wasn't allowed to go at all - but then again, my parents always took me at around 7 and we were done by 8 or 8:30...and unless I had a super elaborate makeup scheme for a costume - one year I was a witch with a TON of green crap caked on my face - I was definitely in bed by 9 or MAYBE 9:30 depending on how long categorizing my haul took. Overall not TOO TOO TOO unreasonable given that it's a special occasion.
Parents need to show some common sense. Weekend or not, your kid doesn't need to be out until some late hour getting candy. If the proposing politician is considering this because his constituents are whining that their kids are out too late on a school night, that shouldn't be his problem and he sure as hell shouldn't be wasting his time looking into changing the date. Last time I checked (and I'm not even a parent) it was the parent's job to make sure their kid is in at a reasonable hour, especially on a school night. Seriously, if having your kid out late on a school night is such an issue, nobody is stopping you from organizing and throwing a party on a night convenient for you. Rope a bunch of your friends with kids or friends of your kids into coming...or hell, invite half the neighborhood over and hand out candy at the party. Then if Halloween is on a weekday, like this year you can feel free to keep your kid home without fear of them missing out.
Nobody dares go around and demand that Christmas be changed to the last Sunday in December because it would be more convenient for family gatherings - people just hold off on the gatherings until it works for them (ie weekend before or a few days after). Honestly, Hallowern needs to be treated with the same respect. Just because it has basis in pagan religion, which Christianity abhors, doesn't mean it holds any LESS significance to people who participate in said pagan religion (or religions). Who are we to arbitrarily change the date of something that has been happening for centuries out of the sake of convenience? People like to argue that Christmas isn't really a Santa present free-for-all, but Halloween isn't just a candy costume free-for-all either. Just something to ponder :)
What do you think of this proposal to change the date of Halloween? Good idea or completely ridiculous?
