Why Halloween Deserves to be an Official Holiday
Halloween -
the spooky, candy-filled holiday celebrated every year on October 31st. It’s one of the most popular party events and a retail bonanza second only to Christmas. But despite all the costumes, decorations, and fun traditions, Halloween still isn’t considered an official holiday in the US. Well it’s time to change that!
Here’s why Halloween deserves official public holiday status:
Halloween Has Major Economic Impacts
- Total spending for Halloween is estimated to be around $10 billion in the United States each year. That's a huge boost for retailers and manufacturers.
- Declaring Halloween a public holiday would allow more families to participate in Halloween traditions and purchase candy, costumes, and decorations. More participation equals more profits!
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Many small and local businesses also rely on Halloween sales each year.
Official holiday status would be a big help to these companies.
The Halloween Spirit Fosters Community
- Trick-or-treating, parties, trunk-or-treats, and other events bring neighborhoods and communities together.
- Making Halloween an official holiday would ensure everyone can participate and cultivate community spirit.
- Co-workers bond while planning office Halloween parties and costume contests.
- Halloween gives people of all ages a reason to interact and celebrate together.
Official Holiday Status Solidifies Cultural Relevance
- Halloween has been celebrated for centuries and is an important cultural tradition. An official holiday would honor that legacy.
- The holiday is almost universally celebrated by those of all ages, backgrounds, and religions.
- Many cultural customs like costumes, jack-o-lanterns, and trick-or-treating have become integral parts of the American experience.
Let’s Look at the Facts
- 67% of Americans celebrate Halloween – that’s way more than other official holidays like Valentine’s Day or St. Patrick’s Day.
- Halloween accounts for over 25% of all annual candy sales. Sweet!
- Dressing up in costumes dates back over 2000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain.
- Halloween has become the second highest commercial holiday in terms of consumer sales.
- Candy corn was originally called “chicken feed” when invented in the 1880s. Spooky!
- The fear of Halloween is called Samhainophobia. But there’s nothing to be afraid of with this fun holiday!
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Trick-or-treating partly originated from an old Scottish and Irish tradition called “guising” where children dressed up and accepted gifts.
Halloween Inspires Creativity and Imagination
- Costume planning and crafting allows both kids and adults to showcase creativity.
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Spooky home and yard decorations encourage homeowners
to get inventive and artistic.
- Halloween is a time to let your imagination run wild, which should be encouraged!
- Cosplay and costume parties allow for creative expression, even for adults.
Clearly the facts and figures prove that Halloween has not only become a commercial powerhouse, but also a time for communities to come together and celebrate. The holiday represents beloved traditions and allows people to showcase creativity. For these reasons and more, it only makes sense to upgrade Halloween to a sanctioned public holiday on October 31st. Just imagine how much more epic the holiday would be if everyone got the day off!
