Hollow Halloween

Halloween, harmless fun or open door to something far more dangerous? Never before have I felt as conflicted about this holiday. I suppose never before has it been much of an issue without kids. This year, Jonathan and I both stated that we didn't really want our family to celebrate halloween. However, without making a concrete decision on this matter, I couldn't resist dressing Caleb up a little and letting him help me hand out the candy to all the little kids. Squealing in delight each time someone new came and staring in wonder at their crazy get-ups, I knew that it was time for us to make a firm decision and stick with it. So I did a little research on this much-loved holiday and what it represents.

Defined on the internet, Halloween (or all Hallows Eve) is when the spiritual world and the natural world become one. It has its origins as an ancient celtic festival (Samhain) in which the dead would threaten the living. The people would throw the bones of slaughtered animals on their bonfires and wear masks and costumes to mimic the evil spirits and appease them. The jack-o-lantern, another common and seemingly harmless tradition of this holiday, also has a dark representation. Believing that the head was the most powerful part of the body, containing your spirit, the Celts used the head of the vegetable to ward off evil spirits. "The name jack-o'-lantern can be traced back to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack,^[9] a greedy, gambling, hard-drinking old farmer. He tricked the devil into climbing a tree and trapped him by carving a cross into the tree trunk. In revenge, the devil placed a curse on Jack, condemning him to forever wander the earth at night with the only light he had: a candle inside of a hollowed turnip." (see website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween for more information.)

Needless to say, as I watched dozens of innocent little children walking around dressed as witches and goblins and ghosts, I couldn't help but feel a little hollow myself. I want to make it very clear that I do not judge anyone who chooses to celebrate this holiday or take their kids trick-or-treating. I have done it myself and completely understand. However, after reading these details, hearing about all the satan-worship and animal sacrifices that occur every halloween across this county, I cannot bring myself to participate in any way in the future. Perhaps I will carry on the tradition my parents instilled in me and hide out in our basement with a couple other families doing our own evening of family fun. Or maybe we will do nothing at all. Nevertheless, from here on forward I have finally come to a conclusion regarding our stand as a family, and I am sure that we will be no worse for it (although I must admit I will miss the excuse to pig out on candy).