Facebook, that ultimate time-waster, is known for all kinds of crazy stories, memes, political rants, recipes (which often feature a perfectly good chicken breast or pork chop smothered in brown sugar, cheese, or other calorie-laden ingredients), etc. etc. etc. The other day on Facebook I ran across the following statement: “Thanksgiving, Halloween, or Christmas – one of these holidays must go. Which one?” Clickbait that I couldn’t resist.
For me, it was a no-brainer – I could definitely do without Halloween. That said, I do remember enjoying it as a child, when one year I went as a coal miner, blackening my face with burnt cork to represent coal dust with no thought that one day such a thing would be considered offensive. I enjoyed Halloween when our kids were young, enthusiastically making their costumes myself and feeling smug when our son Jamie, seven at the time, won a prize at school for his Robin Hood costume. I participate in Halloween today, somewhat reluctantly, plugging in my fake Jack-O-Lantern and sitting on my porch with bowls of peanut-free candy, ready to receive the little ghosts and goblins and wave to their parents waiting patiently on the road. When I was young, and even when my boys were young forty years ago, only the very youngest children were accompanied by parents on this night dedicated to children. School aged children were let loose on their own, to roam the streets, knock on doors, shout to each other about which house had the best treats, and fill their pillowcases with junk food. Today, everyone seems to have a parent in tow.
Halloween evolved from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, a celebration to mark the end of harvest and the beginning of winter, when the veil between the living and the dead was believed to be thinnest. Celts believed the spirits of the dead would walk the earth on this day, so they lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off evil spirits. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III established November 1 as All Saints Day, to honour saints. This Christian holy day soon incorporated elements of the Samhain festivities, just as Christmas has incorporated some elements of the Roman winter solstice holiday of Saturnalia. October 31 became known as All Hallows Eve, which was later contracted to “Halloween.”
Irish and Scottish immigrants brought the holiday and its customs to North America, where it transformed into the modern celebration of costumes, trick-or-treating, spooky storytelling, haunted houses, and jack-o’-lanterns. Historians estimate that by the early 20th century, Halloween was celebrated widely in Canada and the United States, in more or less its present form. In recent years, we have had to be conscious of things like peanut allergies, much increased traffic, and even, sadly, deranged people with intent to harm children by handing out treats laced with noxious substances. Hence the increased parental surveillance, which has become ever more necessary. When my boys were trick-or-treating on Halloween night, I never tried to ration their candy. I figured their teeth and their psyches could better withstand a sugar binge over a few days, than bit by bit over a few weeks, and I wanted the candy gone.
During the pandemic, Halloween trick-or-treating was put on hold, but judging by the scores of kids visiting my house in the last two years, it’s back in full force. Happy Halloween, everyone!