As I understand it, today is a day for kids to dress up like firefighters, princesses, and ax murderers in exchange for candy from adults. Sounds like all fun and games, right? Not so! I did a little research and found out that Halloween has its origins in an ancient Celtic festival that is a celebration of the end of the harvest season. Traditionally, the festival was a time used by the ancient Celtic pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, now known as Halloween, the boundary between the alive and the deceased dissolved, and the dead become dangerous for the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops. The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, into which bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or placate them.
Now, I'm all for a good time and I'm not really bothered by the idea that Halloween's origins are rooted in a pagan celebration. After all, who doesn't want to be dressed up in a pumpkin outfit before they're even old enough to walk and then get toted around the neighborhood just so mom and dad can get some free candy? But this stuff about the boundary between the alive and deceased dissolving? And how the dead become dangerous for the living? That bothers me because I suspect it might be true. Laugh if you want. If you don't believe me, explain this:
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