I used to enjoy dressing up for Halloween. I made costumes for my children as well as myself. It was fun to do trick or treating. However, the bloody gory movies, and the evil ugly costumes that have overtaken the commercial end of it all has sickened me to no end.
Halloween does come from Christian origins. Halloween is the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows’ Day. (also known as All Saints’ or Hallowmas) on 1 November and All souls’ Day. on 2 November, thus giving the holiday on 31 October the full name of All Hallows’ Eve (meaning the evening before All Hallows’ Day).
In Europe groups of poor people, often children, would go door-to-door during Allhallowtide, collecting soul cakes, in exchange for praying for the dead, especially the souls of the givers’ friends and relatives. Soul cakes would also be offered for the souls themselves to eat, or the ‘soulers’ would act as their representatives. As with the tradition of , Allhallowtide soul cakes were often marked with a cross, indicating that they were baked as alms. On the custom of wearing costumes, Christian minister Prince Sorie Conteh wrote: “It was traditionally believed that the souls of the departed wandered the earth until All Saints’ Day, and All Hallows’ Eve provided one last chance for the dead to gain vengeance on their enemies before moving to the next world. In order to avoid being recognized by any soul that might be seeking such vengeance, people would don masks or costumes to disguise their identities”.
I do genealogy and Temple work to honor the dead. So I chose to reflect on those that have gone on to the next life and pray for them. Especially on Halloween. I try to avoid the evil celebrations.
I do still like the dressing up part though….