Halloween is one of the sweetest holidays of the year, but also comes with a trail of myths to keep us on our toes.
Halloween began as a celebration for the end of summer. The roots of Halloween come from Samhain which celebrated the end of summer or the lighter half of the year and the beginning of the darker half. In England, October 31st is known as the Eve of All Saint’s Day hence the name All Hallows Eve later developed into Halloween.
This holiday has developed into a creative and fun celebration in which we all indulge in parties and sweet treats. Don’t believe everything you hear about Halloween. Superstitions and myths are just part of the fun.
Myth #1: Evildoers use Halloween as an opportunity to scare little ones.
Ok, I won’t lie, some adults are just tickled when they can scare the pants off of a youngster. However, this sweet holiday wasn’t created just to instill fear in our youth.
Myth #2: Halloween is nearly as costly as Christmas!
Really, the only expenses to Halloween are candy, costumes and sometimes party expense. This holiday is hardly an economy booster. Candy makers may thrive and costume designers enjoy an increase in sales, but overall, Christmas, Fathers Day, and Mothers Day will gather the most spent dollars. Even Valentines day brings in roughly double the dollars year after year.
Myth #3: Halloween is riddled with criminal activities.
No matter what you’ve heard in the media, rates of animal cruelty, harmful items in apples or candy, and abduction are not outrageously higher on Halloween. Sure, neighborhood kids dare each other to toilet paper a house, smash a few pumpkins or put shaving cream on a friends face. However, the pranks are just that, pranks.
It can’t hurt to be smart about your activities though. Consider keeping your pets inside on busy evenings like Halloween, community activity days (parades or festivals), and the 4th of July. This will keep them in a positive mood and away from harm. When you walk the street at night, be cautious of strangers that could be a danger to you or your family. Carry a flashlight for visibility and bring a communication device along to call for help if necessary. If you indulge in treats for any occasion, don’t take anything from someone you don’t know or trust and teach young ones to check with an adult before diving into those sweet treats too.
Happy Halloween!
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