Halloween is my favorite holiday. Call me crazy, but that’s just the truth. I’ve never gone broke on Halloween, or sat in the car for hours on end as I made my way to Grandma’s house. I don’t have any obligations, religious or secular.
All I do is play make believe and eat candy. What a great day!
Of course, that”s not always what Halloween was. The day has its roots in the strange and mysterious. It is sometimes considered the day when the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest, and not all the spirits called forth have been friendly. Truthfully, though, the day has been celebrated in many different ways by a wide variety of religions and cultures. Moreso than any other holiday, it is difficult (if not impossible) to pin down a single origin for Halloween.
Starting in twentieth century America, though, it became a day to wear costumes and eat candy. As a writer, I have a real appreciation for make believe, which is probably why I have so much fun. Also, I really like capes. (Will they ever come back into mainstream fashion?)
Last night was my almost one-year-old son’s first Halloween. We dressed him up as a teddy bear and showed him off to all the neighbors, thus indoctrinating him in the modern version of Halloween. Then we came home and passed out candy (one for the kids, one for me, one for the kids, two for me).
All in all, it was a picture perfect Halloween. Alas, there were no spirits of the dead but then again, I didn’t really expect any in my 17-year-old house.