TRICK-OR-TREAT!

            TRICK-OR-TREAT! Every Halloween, mobs of children run from door to door and rob the good souls of candy. The princesses, superheroes, animals, devils, and vampires are alive, as they roam helpless neighborhoods and scream their rhymes, like ‘Trick-or-Treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat’. But how did this all come about? As early as the 1750’s, American society retained a well-bred fear of witches, but now we devote an entire holiday to this celebration of beings which we once feared. This change in mentality, can be seen when modern parents attempt to forcefully dress up their child as a witch, devil, or animal. So how did this holiday take it’s prominence in American society?

            The auspicious practices of Halloween dates back 2,000 years ago, to the Celts. On October 31^st, they would celebrate the holiday of Samhain, when they paid their respects to the deceased. The Celts made large banquets to avoid undesirable spirits. Later generations then modified this practice, when people dressed up as undesirable spirits, such as ghosts and witches, in exchange for food. The Church later adopted this pagan practice by creating the Old Soul’s Day. On this date the dead were given their respects and children were made to start “souling”. No, souling isn’t when you sell your soul. This practice was when children went door-to-door in hopes of receiving gifts or alms for their departed relatives. But America’s grand introduction to Halloween, was a result of the potato famine and the increase in Irish immigration. In the 1920’s the “tricks” played on Halloween, caused great damage to metropolitan areas.  But by the start of the Second World War, sugar rationing decreased the popularity of the holiday. Once the war was over and the baby-boom started, the holiday of Halloween revived its popularity. Thus, the holiday has risen to the position of commercial importance, that we give it today.

            So, why have we changed this once religious holiday into a basis for commercialism? I believe the answer lies within our economy. Due to our drive for capitalism, America has lost sight on other respects of life. Halloween is not the only holiday, which has now been commercialized.  American holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are now more valued in American society due to their ability to create a profit. Holidays are supposed to celebrate the people’s morals. But if we solely focus on profit, have our morals diminished?