Surprisingly, I wasn’t the only one choosing to keep the porch light off on Halloween. Most people who choose to leave their porch light off on Halloween do so because they choose not to pass out candy for one reason or another. I just never expected practically an entire apartment complex to keep their lights off for this one often celebrated holiday.
When I was growing up, we trick or treated during our elementary school years. Our church had a “Haunted House” inside the gym facilities. At that time I was not aware of the pagan background to the holiday, Halloween. It was not until my mid-twenties that I learned all about the origins behind this particular holiday.
Halloween is a contraction of All Hallow’s Eve, and is celebrated on October 31 each year. October 31 is the evening before All Saints’ ( or All Hallows’) Day. All Saints’ Day is a day when Christians remember and honor those who have passed.
Halloween’s origins actually date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. It began around 2,000 years ago, when the Celtic people in Europe celebrated the end of the harvest and the beginning of a new year with a festival called Samhain. During this time period people believed they could commune with the dead more easily. They would light bonfires to try to ward off ill-intentioned spirits and sacrificed crops and animals.
People in Old England and Ireland associated the end of October with the dead wandering among us. They would set out food to satisfy the hungry spirits. Later, as this tradition continued, people began dressing up in creepy costumes to go begging for treats for themselves.
In more recent years many churches have chosen to offer Fall Festivals as an alternative to children going door to door trick or treating. These fall festivals usually have many games for children of all ages to participate in including bobbing for apples, bean bag toss, and many other activities where children can “win” candy while playing a fun game.
I, myself, choose not to celebrate Halloween or pass out any candy on this non-federal holiday. I prefer not to celebrate any spirits that as said to roam around on this particular evening. It is my preference to observe All Saints’ Day, to remember and honor all the saints of the church (especially family members) who have already gone onto heaven. This is my personal preference and reason for keeping my porch light off on Halloween.
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