
Many of us Grandezza residents recollect Halloween of years past as one of our favorite holidays of the year. Celebrated annually on October 31st, Halloween has its roots in ancient Celtic traditions although today it has evolved into a fun-filled, family-friendly occasion where creativity, community, and spookiness come together. From trick-or-treating for candy to elaborate costumes and haunted houses, customs vary, but children, teens and the forever-young often enjoy this holiday.
I have always thought that the best Halloween custom is trick-or-treating, where children dress up in costumes and go door-to-door, collecting candy from neighbors. This tradition originated from the medieval practice of “souling,” in which villagers would go from home to home offering prayers for the dead in exchange for food. In its modern form, trick-or-treating has become a delightful activity for kids, as they transform into their favorite characters—sometimes spooky, funny, or fantastical—and visit homes decorated with pumpkins, ghosts, bats, black cats, and cobwebs. This writer grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, where my friends and I rang every doorbell on every door in our apartment buildings and collected our copious goodies in pillowcases. Those stashes of candy would last for months afterwards.
Today, parents often accompany their younger children, and neighborhoods that are particularly enthusiastic about Halloween will go all out with their decorations, creating eerie environments with lights, sound effects, and life-size props. Sometimes entire streets are turned into haunted villages and compete for the best decorated award. Costume parties and dressing up are essential to Halloween festivities. The practice of wearing costumes is rooted in the ancient belief that during Samhain, a precursor to Halloween, that the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest. So, people lit bonfires and wore costumes to disguise and protect themselves
from any spirits that might be lurking. Today Halloween costumes may range from traditional vampires, witches, and skeletons to pop-culture-inspired superheroes, movie characters, and famous or infamous personalities.
Believe me dressing up is not only limited to kids as adults join in the festivities too. My friends and I were always up for showing off our wild, creative, and sometimes outlandish costumes, and if it involved a Halloween costume contest, all the better. What fun it was to be a princess, to be transformed into Sinbad of the Seven Seas, or to pose as a box of M&Ms.
Another enjoyable Halloween custom is pumpkin carving. This tradition of carving pumpkins into jack-o’- lanterns comes from Irish folklore. Originally, turnips and potatoes were carved with faces to ward off evil spirits, but after Irish immigrants brought the custom to America, pumpkins became the preferred medium. Let’s face it. Carving or painting a pumpkin has to be preferable to decorating a turnip or a potato. Once the pumpkin is carved, a candle or small light is placed inside, creating an eerie glow that adds to the Halloween atmosphere. For those who enjoy a good scare, haunted houses and other spooky attractions have been a Halloween favorite. These may range from
small, homemade haunted garages to large-scale c o m m e r c i a l h a u n t e d houses complete with actors, animatronics, and sometimes
terrifyingly realistic sets. Some towns and communities also offer hayrides or corn mazes designed to scare at every turn. I never liked braving corn mazes, but to each his own. Boo!
Last, Halloween parties are a staple for both kids and adults. Traditional Halloween games such as bobbing for apples, pin the hat on the witch, and scavenger hunts keep the spirit of light-heartedness alive. Parties may even include activities like horror movie marathons, costume contests (of course), and spooky-themed snacks like ghost-shaped cookies and candy apples.
Halloween is nearly upon us later this month. Whether you are planning to celebrate or just to remember the fun that you, your family, and friends enjoyed in celebrating the holiday in the past, I hope you will find joy! Happy Halloween!