One thing I know for certain is that people don't really know who they are. That's why we have costumes. Dress up as something. See if it fits. Nothing ever will, but keep trying. The only alternative is just being yourself. And that would suck.
Halloween as I understand it is originally a pagan ritual related to the last harvest before winter. Something about spirits and predictions. Blurring reality. Communicating with and yet warding off death. There were dead animals involved. And the wearing of their scooped out heads. Sounds very much like every day here in America to me. But back then it was much rarer.
How all this 'heathen' blasphemy somehow became the tradition of a decidedly christian country is better left for candy companies to speculate. It must've been their idea after all. Just like Hallmark invented Valentine's day to sell more greeting cards. Nestle or Mars or the two demons collectively have to be responsible for the notion that begging door to door for chocolate is okay.
I've no idea when the first trick or treats took place, but the very idea astounds me. That as a society we went from doing nothing on October 31 to buying bags and bags of candy only to give it away to strange children dressed in monster masks.
I have to hand it to them. That was some kind of genius. I can picture the corporate meeting. 'We need to sell more candy people! Any ideas?'
And then some ambitious young executive suggests the idea of a holiday. Manufacture a holiday where people have to buy candy. Buy candy or spend the next several months scraping egg off their windows.
And it would be the most perfect holiday of all because it would transcend religion. It would be only about sugar and pretending to be something you're not. Because those two things are, after all, what Americans love best.
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