- Isn’t Halloween in bad taste during a pandemic?
- Isn’t Halloween just too … American?
- How exactly do people celebrate, anyway?
- Isn’t trick or treating just children begging for sweets?
- Aren’t trick or treaters destructive and violent?
- When does trick or treat happen?
- What else can we do if we can’t trick or treat?
Isn’t Halloween in bad taste during a pandemic?
You could argue that Halloween is always in bad taste if it’s not your style, and there’s always potential for people to go for maximum shock value with their costume or decorations. During the pandemic we’d encourage everyone to stick to the spooky/creepy side of things (think Harry Potter, the Addams Family, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Worst Witch) rather than full-on horror (like The Walking Dead or slasher films) and definitely avoid COVID-related themes!
Isn’t Halloween just too … American?
Halloween goes back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the transition from autumn to winter and was thought to be a time when the dead could visit the world of the living. In Christian times it evolved into All Hallows Day (and All Hallows Eve, or Hallowe’en), which was observed across Europe to honour the spirits of ancestors and saints through celebrations that included costumes, bonfires and parades. Trick or treat goes back to Scottish guising, and jack-o-lanterns began as Irish turnips before they turned into North American gourds. That said, despite its European roots, modern Halloween has an undeniable American tone.
Today Halloween isn’t much about honouring ancestors (but Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos celebration is an amazing version of that) or warding off actual evil spirits. Now we tend to celebrate with spooky decorations and horror themes as a way to confront darkness — the literal darkness of shorter days and the coming winter, and the symbolic darkness of our own fears — for the same reason people enjoy the fear of watching scary films.
If you’re put off by the Americanisation, we invite you to celebrate old-school European style! Ditch the tackier trappings of American Halloween and stick to the original traditions. Try carving a turnip — it’s definitely more of a challenge than a pumpkin!
But — and hear us out for a moment — what’s so bad about the American version? (Full disclosure: This is an American writing.) It might be tacky and obnoxious and garish and loud, but it’s also fun and creative and a much-needed dose of escapism. And if you just can’t stomach celebrating an “American” holiday, know that Canadians celebrate just as enthusiastically (and obnoxiously) as their southern neighbours.
How exactly do people celebrate, anyway?
We’ve written a little intro to Halloween to give you the general idea, but here’s the quick answer: Halloween is all about dressing up in costumes (not necessarily scary ones) for both kids and adults. While adults mostly dress up for parties, kids wear costumes for trick or treating — going door to door and collecting sweets from neighbours. (There’s not much tricking involved in trick or treat these days.) The other big traditions are carving jack-o-lanterns and decorating with spooky stuff. It’s also traditional to watch scary films, listen to spooky music and enjoy Halloween-themed food and drinks.
Isn’t trick or treating just children begging for sweets?
Dressing up and going door-to-door to collect sweets goes back to souling (collecting special All Hallows “soul cakes” in exchange for prayers), mumming (where costumed actors would perform as they wandered) and Scottish guising, which isn’t so different from modern trick or treating. It’s also not so different from going door to door asking for a penny for the Guy before Bonfire Night. If it bothers you, think of it as rewarding the creativity of their costumes.
Aren’t trick or treaters destructive and violent?
While there may be an implied threat of a trick if there’s no treat, in reality that’s almost never the case these days. If someone doesn’t have their light on or Halloween decorations visible, trick or treaters just move along to the next house that’s participating. And while there may be some tricksters out on Halloween (usually teenagers playing pranks on their friends), they’re unlikely to be the kids going door to door in costumes.
When does trick or treat happen?
On Halloween afternoon/evening. Smaller kids often go out around dusk and bigger ones tend to go our after dark. In some places trick or treat might go late into the evening, but in Furzedown we seldom get trick or treaters after about 8 pm.
What else can we do if we can’t trick or treat?
Some neighbourhood groups and schools are organising Halloween trails and there are other local events taking place.
Furzedown Frights 