Halloween Is Coming!

Halloween is coming,

Halloween is coming,

Witches will be after you!

Cats and rats and big black bats!

Oooooh!  Boo!

The ancient Celts who lived (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France) 2000 years ago, celebrated their new year on November 1.  This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year associated with death.  The night before the new year, the Celts believed the boundary between the worlds of the living and dead became blurred and people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as All Saints Day.  A time to remember all the saints (also known as hallows), martyrs, and faithful dead.  The evening before was known as All Hallows' Eve, and later Halloween (A contraction of Hallows' Evening).

Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes, and eating sweet treats.  It has been a very long time since I went trick-or-treating or donned a costume.  The only festive gathering I know about is the kid's party our apartment building is putting on.

And now that I am an adult, Halloween is no longer about trick-or treating (we live in an apartment and will not have any kids at our door), carving jack-o-lanterns (way to messy), festive gatherings (the only one I know of is the kids' party our building is hosting), or donning a costume (finding one that fits is very challenging).  No now, Halloween, it is all about the discounted chocolate and candy that will be on sale the day after.