Halloween holiday nothing to be afraid of

Halloween falls on Sunday this year, throwing a shadow of controversy over this favorite holiday. There are some who feel that trick-or-treating on the Lord's day is sac-religious, due to the holiday's pagan roots. This is ridiculous because Halloween has been commercialized and is now so far from its pagan beginnings that if someone from that time period were brought back, they would not even know it is the same holiday.

Most churches today celebrate Halloween. This year, many parents and institutions will hold their candy-fest the night before, so as not to interfere with school or church activities. The last time Halloween fell on a Sunday was back in 1999. This year, in Washington's Pierce County, Halloween will not be celebrated in schools. The kids will not be allowed parties, candy or Halloween crafts. The Puyallup School District decided to cancel the holiday to avoid offending Wiccans (those who practice witchcraft) and take focus away from important academic learning. Halloween has long been celebrated as a secular holiday, and as such there should be no problem with celebrating in schools, even with something little like passing out treats.

The school district is just opting out of a fun fall celebration instead of dealing directly with those who would like to ban it.

Halloween, or Samhain, as it is called by some, was originally a Celtic holiday, believed to be the night when the barriers between life and death are blurred. The holiday was celebrated with feasting, which may be what our tradition of trick-or-treating evolved from. It is silly to think that celebrating Halloween is un-Christian. Christians honor the dead and feast, but have not necessarily set aside a special day for it. As long as they are not out conjuring the devil, there should be no problem with the holiday. Halloween is just a fun night where kids can dress up (as an apostle, if their parents are worried about scarier costumes) and eat yummy fattening candy. It is also an excuse to curl up and watch scary movies — nothing more.

Not all religions choose to celebrate All Hallow's Eve, for example, most Muslims do not celebrate any non-Muslim holiday, and this is understandable. The pumpkins, black candles and costumes that used to be symbolic of pagan harvest traditions are now symbols of the day in October when it is acceptable to dress up, and nothing more. Most people see the festivities of Halloween night as a frivolous celebration with no strong base in today's culture.

Those that are worried about demon possession or other foolish fears should simply avoid using Ouija boards or other occult items to conjure negative spirits. If Halloween is a problem or causes that much worry, people can simply ignore it, but they should not take it away from those who love the spirit of the holiday and the fun times it brings, especially since it is no longer considered to have any real religious meaning.

The holiday has been extremely commercialized. Costume companies and candy manufacturers make money off the popularity of the day. The way that culture interprets Halloween is interesting, but people just need to deal with their fears and accept that Halloween is a fun night for everyone, pagan or not.