This is a seriously spooky time of year. Front yards are dotted with headstones, porches are draped in thick walls of cobwebs — and you may spot the occasional leering monster out of the corner of your eye.
As Halloween approaches, I think back to the days of childhood when my parents’ response to my request for a store-bought costume was fairly predictable: “You want WHAT?”
I should have known better to ask since these were the same people who responded to “I’m bored” with “Here’s a mop — go wash the kitchen floor” and to a tantrum with “I’ll give you something to really cry about.”
Most Halloweens, my sister and I traipsed somewhat morosely around the neighborhood wearing white sheets with strategically placed holes for eyes and mouth. Other years, we sported an assortment of my mother’s scarves and hoped we were passing as decent gypsies.
At one point, though, my parents must have had a few extra bucks because they actually allowed me to buy a costume at the five-and-dime store. And I showed up that year as a glowing version of my favorite cartoon character, none other than Tweety Bird, and sporting across my chest the unforgettable words, “I tawt I taw a puddy tat.”
No matter what they don for the occasion, Halloween is a glorious time for kids. What is more fun, really, than knocking on doors and coming away with bags of free candy? What I don’t understand are people who protest Halloween as if it were some sort of demonic celebration.
I mean, let’s get real. There are plenty of people who are serious Satan worshippers, and I’ll be the first one to say this is a terrible thing. But to paint Halloween with that particular brush just isn’t right.
Yes, there is a ghostly element, since the word “Halloween” comes from “All Hallows’ Eve,” and hallows are spirits, as in the souls of those who have gone ahead of us. And Halloween, falling on Oct. 31, ushers in two very important and ancient Christian holidays — All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1 and All Souls’ Day immediately after. In both cases, it’s a time to remember and honor the dead.
And this might be why there are so many tombstones in yards and so many makeshift monsters prowling around the block. Death is somewhat scary and there is something healthy when we can stare it in the face, shake our fists at it — and even laugh at it.
It helps to defang the monsters — whether they are ghouls or goblins, vampires or werewolves — and realize we can tame the darkness. This is part of Halloween, too.
The trees are slowly shedding their leaves and will soon look completely dead, but we know that in the spring, they will send forth shoots of life again.
In the same way, Halloween can remind us of the journey we will all one day take. It reminds us this earthly plane is not all there is. And there’s nothing to fear because Christ has conquered darkness and death.
So whether kids are dressed as ghosts or bats — or Tweety Bird — Halloween is, at heart, a time to celebrate life.
About the Author
