Early beginnings
Halloween is believed to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, an event devised to ward off ghosts with bonfires and costumes. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints and martyrs. The All Saints’ Day holiday included some of the Samhain traditions. The evening before was known as All Hallows’ Eve, and later, Halloween.
Modern day
Modern Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition, fun and costuming. It’s a holiday for kids — of all ages. Adults revisit their childhoods through Halloween by shedding their adult personas for the chance to imagine what it would be like to be something else. Just for one day or night. Then it’s back to adulthood.
Perhaps part of Halloween’s enduring appeal is its ability to act as a relief valve for adults fighting against the enforced seriousness of adulthood. It might be because we cannot resist the parade of cute kids in adorable costumes. Maybe it’s just a chance to eat candy. Whatever the reason, Halloween ranks near the top (third, actually) in holiday popularity among Americans, according to a 2011 Harris Interactive poll.
So party on, all you ghosts, goblins, zombies and witches. Decorate, get in that costume and get in touch with what scares or amuses you. You deserve it. Watch a scary movie with a friend. Celebrate Halloween with some spooky and fun music. Halloween is here!
Julian Rogers is a contributor to WiseTribe, Oregon Sports News, OregonLive (the Oregonian), Comcast Sports Net, ProFootballNetworks.com, Androsform.com, and other websites. He is a native Washingtonian. He also spent six years in Alaska, but still does not understand the appeal of hockey or dog sled racing. He has made an uneasy peace with social media and can be found on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and WordPress. He has two beautiful children and one tolerant wife, who is also beautiful.
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