It's Scary Time!

 It's that time of year again! Spooky season! And while I do not care much for it, I decided to do a bit of research and share my thoughts on this "spookiest" of celebrations.

As a child, I enjoyed sauntering from door to door in search of a big candy score. My crew and I would hustle around the neighborhood in an attempt to hit as many houses as possible to maximize our haul. In early September, the anticipation would begin building and plans were laid out for who or what we were going to don as costumes. While it was enjoyable creating those memories, I really never thought much about it's meaning and why it was celebrated. I understand the meaning behind the "big five" as they pertain to me. Christmas is a day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving, as I was taught in grammar school, was a day to celebrate the peaceful gathering of the Pilgrims and Wampanoag People. It was a day to enjoy fellowship with loved ones and overeat, nap, catch some football and pass out from a food coma. I have since come to a deeper understanding. To me, Thanksgiving is a time for us to praise God for the blessings he has provided to us. Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ, three days after the crucifixion. Memorial Day is a day to remember our fallen soldiers that set their own well being aside to protect our freedoms here at home and Veterans Day is day to give thanks to those who served or serve in the armed forces. The others are self explanatory. But, why Halloween? After doing a little research, I found more information pertaining to the holiday than I thought I would!

Is Halloween considered a Christian holiday or a Pagan holiday? Is it neither? Is it both?

I simply started by Googling "Halloween meaning" and was surprised at the abundance of articles concerning this topic. I'll apologize in advance, I linked the crap out of this post so you can dive further in if you feel so inclined.

I found one article written by Caroline Picard and Lizz Schumer with Good Housekeeping to be particularly interesting. Click the links if you would rather read it for yourself but the bullet points I found most interesting are as follows: It is believed that Halloween originated a couple thousand years ago by the Celtic people (Pagans) to celebrate Samhain. During this time, it is believed that the barrier between worlds of the living and the dead is thinner, allowing for easier communication between the living and loved ones that have passed on. People would don animal skins and heads during the festivities. Maybe that explains why we wear costumes today?

An article written by Ian Palmer and Terri Robertson in Country Living breaks down a more Christian approach and attempts to answer questions on whether or not Halloween has biblical ties.

In Christianity, it has been widely argued on each end whether or not it should be celebrated by followers of Christ. The word "Hallow" translates into "Holy" in Old English. All Saints Day is a Christian (Catholic origins) holiday where Saints are celebrated on November 1st, followed by All Souls' Day on November 2nd where loved ones that have passed on are remembered. All Hollows Eve (Halloween) is the Eve of All Saints Day.

Wikipedia's entry is interesting also and covers a broader summation, touching on Secular and Christian differences and what the day means in many other belief systems and peoples across the world. One common theme, it seems, is that the day is celebrated to honor the dead. That may explain why it has taken on a spookier tone related to ghosts, witches, devils and the like. It is also a time when horror movies see an uptick in release and viewing. My 16 year old daughter has recently taken a liking to the genre. I tend to steer clear of the violence depicted in these films because it doesn't play well with obsessive thinking. My mantra has been "If you put junk in, you get junk out." I simply do not need any help creating another avenue for negativity. I do well enough on my own.

There is so much more I wanted to touch on here but decided to keep it to a minimum. This post would never end. I simply wanted to educate myself in regards to the roots of the holiday and why we celebrate it. I do not lean heavily to either side of the argument and do not think less of those that enjoy it. When my daughter was a wee little lass, I experienced so much joy seeing the excitement that she experienced while watching the candy get dropped in the bucket. It brought back memories of my childhood and the enjoyment of Halloween I had as a kiddo.

I'll leave you with a song of antiquity. "Nightmare On My Street" - DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince