Halloween, I'm finding, is a favorite holiday of many. What's not to love about it? People of all ages, shapes, and sizes get to dress up in some ridiculous (or totally awesome) costume to exercise some aspect of an alter ego. It's one day out of the year during which everyone is okay with each other acting a little goofy, weird, peculiar, eccentric, etc. I think somewhere between the planning, trick-or-treating, partying, and dressing as someone/something else, a more honest part of ourselves comes out. Maybe we should wear costumes more often.
As I sat with my sister on her front porch, waiting to treat trick-or-treaters, I thought about how Halloween is one of the most honest holidays. Absent are the attempts to convince children of Santa or the Easter bunny's existence (you can throw the tooth fairy in there too, though she/he doesn't have a holiday per say)....or stories about "pilgrims and indians" sitting down to a nice, harmonious, well-intentioned feast (eh-hem, we'll leave out the whole part about colonists giving the Native Americans furs that were infected with smallpox). Granted, our holidays have become entirely manufactured and commercialized (don't get me started). But I respect Halloween. Everyone knows what the traditions are without all the bickering and controversy. People seem to happily participate without a lot of fuss, other than the fuss over their costumes. Trick-or-treating starts at dusk; kids show up with questionable pillow cases held out for candy deposits; parents bring their infants and toddlers and walk their young ones through the neighborhoods; a lit porch light means candy is available....It's all very simple.
In short, I love Halloween for it's ability to bring out some awesomeness in just about everyone. All it takes is a little lie with a mask to bring out some honesty. Besides, who doesn't like free candy?
2 comments:
It's interesting that you mention honesty as being part of the holiday. One, it's amusing how hiding ourselves is actually an act of honesty. Two, there is in fact a lot of trust needed to make this holiday work. People could really muck it up if they wanted to. Some do, of course, but for the most part, Halloween goes off without a hitch (or with just a few juvenile pranks). We trust our kids to go to other people's houses to get candy. Any other time of year and parents would freak out if they saw their neighbor enticing kids to have some candy at his house. Any other time of year, we would object to seeing bloody body parts on someone's lawn. I mean, do you go an inspect those "decorations" to see if they're fake? It's very interesting that a holiday known for mischief can actually create a sense of safety and, as you said, honesty.
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