Halloween, Halloween

Halloween, the holiday that falls on the last day in October, is a day of fun for adults and children alike.

"My family always encouraged trick-or-treating," said Nathan Dean, a freshman at Piedmont College. "Halloween was the only day that we were allowed to get so much candy at one time."

Dean, along with thousands of others throughout the country, dress up in costumes every Halloween and go door to door asking for candy. Also, costume parties, hay rides, and fake haunted houses are created to celebrate the holiday.

"Costumes make up over half of the fun," said Anthony Saputo, a Piedmont College freshman.

There are those who do not celebrate the holiday. According to Kerby Anderson, a founder of a Christian website, Halloween is a holiday that should not be celebrated. He believes that celebrating Halloween glorifies and promotes witchcraft and divination.

April Myers, a mother of two, does not allow her children to celebrate Halloween by trick-or-treating. "It isn't as safe as it use to be," said Myers. "It's never okay to take candy from a stranger."

Halloween originated as a Celtic practice. The Celts believed that on the last day of their year, which would now be the last day in October, ghosts of the dead returned to Earth. They believed the ghosts damaged their crops and caused damage throughout their lands. They also believed that the presence of ghosts helped druids, or Celtic priests, predict the future.

To celebrate, the Celts built bonfires and sacrificed animals. They wore costumes to the celebration, many of which were created from animal bones and skins. The Celts also tried to tell each other's fortunes.

In today's time, Halloween is not about sacrificing animals. This religious practice developed by the Celts is now only a tradition.

I believe it is perfectly fine for anyone to celebrate Halloween. When children dress up like witches, ghouls, and goblins, their intentions are not to praise Satan. They simply want to have innocent fun in a spooky environment.

And as for the candy, if you are worried about your children getting poisoned, then take the time sort through each piece individually to check for anything suspicious.