Boo! Did I scare you?
Your heart beats so hard, it’s a wonder it doesn’t leave an outline under your shirt.
Standing amidst the suffocating darkness, the gnarled trees surround the cursed estate and sway in feeble defense against the hungry shadows. Lit by the pale moon, the front door creaks open and reveals a yawning abyss beyond.
Suddenly, the air surrounding you is frigid and metallic. The grass under your shoes is covered with frost. “Over here…” taunts a rusty voice. Hot steel pierces your gut and the scene crumbles to darkness despite your open eyes. The voice laughs beside your ear.
Boo! Did I scare you? Apart from the thrill of a good scare, Halloween is the best holiday for many reasons.
North Americans have a nasty habit–they say we are a secular society, yet we have time off for Christmas and all other Christian holidays. Halloween is a superior holiday since its history reads like a captivating novel. Spoiler alert: no Messiah is born, or persecuted, or resurrected.
Halloween dates back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marks the end of the harvest and the start of winter, which at the time was synonymous with many deaths. On this night, the Celts believed the barrier between the world of the living and the dead was blurred. Samhain was an opportunity to appease the spirits of the dead by building large bonfires and dressing up to scare them away.
In addition to pleasing history lovers, Halloween offers an escape from everyday life – costumes! A large portion of our days is spent trying to escape reality. Movies, music, and social media all offer a second-hand experience of this feeling.
On Halloween, we have the opportunity to step into those worlds. You can inhabit the lives of your favourite characters and forget reality for a night. There is also no worry about looking out of place – everyone else is dressed up too. Overall, Halloween provides an opportunity to explore the otherworldly, while reflecting the origins of Samhain.
Of course, some will say that “Costumes are for kids” or “Halloween parties are always crazy”. Yet the beauty of the holiday is there are several ways to celebrate. You can cozy up for a horror movie marathon with friends. Or find the best party in the neighborhood. Or visit a haunted house. Or go trick-or-treating!
The possibilities are endless. On Halloween, you will never have to suffer through a stuffy family turkey dinner after going to mass at church for the first time in three years. Or maybe that’s just me? Anyway – you can choose how to celebrate this holiday.
Finally, Halloween is one of the few holidays that hasn’t succumbed to the capitalist trap of promoting gifts you feel forced to buy. Instead, you can show your appreciation for your friends by spending time with them. Or, you can have fun by buying pieces for your costume.
Halloween is the best holiday since anyone can celebrate, costumes provide an escape, you can choose how to celebrate, and you don’t have to buy gifts. Also, getting scared can be fun.
