萬圣節是一年中最恐怖的一天嗎？比萬圣節更恐怖的，是沒有時間參加萬圣節派對。最近，美國萬圣節及服飾協會發起網上請愿活動，要求將萬圣節改到每年10月的最后一個周六，這樣對大人孩子學校都好處多多。話說，美國人民為了好好過個萬圣節，也是夠拼的！

If you're anything like me, you've spent the 364 days since last Halloween keeping a meticulous list of potential costumes for this Halloween. And in spite of your efforts, you will still find yourself scrambling to transform your high school gym uniform into something that screams "Nancy Drew" for a party that began 10 minutes ago. To be honest, we could all use an extension on Halloween -- it's just not convenient.

如果你像我一樣，在去年萬圣節之后的這364天里，一直在認真地琢磨今年萬圣節該穿什么。你下了很大的功夫，可是在萬圣節派對開始10分鐘后，你還在為了把你的高中健身服改成能發出“神探南茜”尖叫的奇裝異服而抓狂。老實說，我們真希望萬圣節可以改個時間，因為這個時間實在是太不方便了。

Fortunately, the Halloween & Costume Association feels the same way -- and they've started a national petition to formally change the date of Halloween.

幸運的是，萬圣節及服飾協會跟我們想法一樣。該協會發起了一項全美請愿活動，想要正式修改萬圣節的日期。

The Change.org petition, which already has nearly 32,000 signature, demands that all Halloween celebrations take place on the last Saturday of October going forward, rather than the 31st. "It's time for a Safer, Longer, Stress-Free Celebration!" the site exclaims.

這項發布在change.org網站上的請愿已經征集到近3.2萬個簽名，請愿要求今后萬圣節在10月最后一個周六舉行，而不是10月31日。協會在該請愿網站表示：“申請萬圣節改期是為了一個更安全、更持久、更放松的節日！”

According to the association, 51% of millennials say Halloween is their favorite holiday. There is no citation for this statistic, but regardless of its mathematical accuracy, the sentiment maintains: people like Halloween, so why not give it a full day?

據該協會介紹，51%的千禧一代受訪者稱萬圣節是他們最喜愛的節日。這一數據并沒有出處，但拋開其數據準確性不談，其中表達的情緒是不容懷疑的：人們喜愛萬圣節，為什么不能讓人們有一整天的時間來慶祝呢？

The group also claims that there are 38,000 Halloween-related injuries each year, that 70% of parents don't accompany their kids trick or treating, and that 82% of parents don’t use high visibility aids on their kid's costumes.

該協會還表示，每年有3.8萬起與萬圣節有關的受傷事件發生，70%的家長不陪孩子參加“不給糖果就搗蛋”活動，82%的家長也沒給孩子在衣服上貼高亮度的標識。

Although it wasn't directly stated in the official petition, commenters in favor of the movement noted that having it on a weekend is a win for schools, who have to deal with issues surrounding costumes — particularly those with masks and weapons — and for teachers who have to continue to educate especially distracted students.

盡管正式的請愿中沒有直接提到，但支持這一請愿活動的網友評論說，萬圣節改到周末對學校和老師來說都是個好消息。之前，學校還得處理萬圣節服飾帶來的一系列麻煩，特別是一些孩子還會帶面具和玩具武器，活動結束以后，老師們還要繼續給學生們上課，可學生們的心思早被之前的活動帶飛了。

Throughout the comments on the petition, parents enumerate the benefits to a Saturday Halloween: no school the next day, trick or treating during daylight hours, more one-on-one parent-child time, and, as user Nolan Chidester puts it, "Halloween on a Wednesday SUCCKKKKKKKKKKKSSS."

家長們也在請愿活動頁面的評論中列舉了將萬圣節改在周六的好處：第二天孩子不用上學，可以在白天玩“不給糖果就搗蛋”，更多的一對一親子時間。正如網友諾蘭-奇德斯特所說：“萬圣節在周三簡直太糟糕了”。

Then there are the haters. "This is ridiculous. People already celebrate the weekend before regardless of what day of the week it falls on," one user writes on Facebook. "You clearly do not know the origins of Halloween. This is just to sell more costumes and decorations. Halloween is a religious holiday for some people.”

但也有人表示反對。一位網友在臉書上寫道：“這太荒唐了。不論萬圣節是一周中的哪天，人們都已經在之前的周末慶祝過了。你肯定不清楚萬圣節的來歷。改到周末就是為了賣更多的服飾和裝飾品。對一些人來說，萬圣節是個宗教節日。”

我同意這次請愿，簽了名。萬圣節的多數活動通常都已經改到最近的周六舉行了。

這是個好主意，我完全同意。

每年都在周末過萬圣節才好！

According to the History Channel, Halloween dates backs to Celtic traditions from over 2,000 years ago. On the 31st each year, Celts would light bonfires and don costumes to ward off ghosts and evil spirits. Typically, the holiday fell on this day in particular, as it was "when the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred."

據歷史頻道報道，萬圣節來自于兩千多年前的凱爾特人傳統。在每年的10月31日，凱爾特人會點燃篝火，穿上奇裝異服嚇退鬼怪幽靈。萬圣節定在這一天，因為在這一天“生靈和逝者之間的界限變得模糊”。

It remains to be seen whether or not the Halloween & Costume Association will succeed in its efforts to alter the date on which we trick or treat annually. Holidays are always more fun when you can actually take the time to enjoy them without worrying about work or school. All in favor?

萬圣節及服飾協會這個更改萬圣節日期的請愿能否成功，我們還要拭目以待。真的有時間盡情享受假期，而不用擔心工作或學習時，假期會更有趣。大家都贊同吧？

英文來源：thrillist.com

翻譯&編輯：yaning