By: Henna Khan

Staff Writer

The sugar buzz, the funny costumes, and the festive decorations all lead up to one holiday in particular; Halloween. What’s so evil about it? For several it’s nothing, but for some celebrating “All Hallow’s Eve” conflicts quite greatly with religious beliefs.

Let’ go back a couple of centuries to when the idea of Halloween actually began. The Romans worshiped various gods and on Oct. 31, a special feast was held in honor of Pomona, goddess of the fruit trees. However, Celtic priests in Britain made this feast an even more extensive celebration by also honoring Samhain, lord of the dead, on Nov. 1. On “Halloween” Samhain called together wicked souls or spirits which had been condemned to live in the bodies of animals during the year which had just transpired, hence the creation of costumes.

Eventually, Nov. 1 became “All Saints Day” where churchgoers would attend an “Allhallowmass”, and the evening before would be further known as “All Hallowed Evening”. While efforts to make Oct.31 a holy evening were made, old practices and customs continued to occur which made this evening anything but holy.

 So is celebrating religious figures really an inappropriate activity? Theoretically, no.

 “‘All Hallow’s Eve’ anticipates All Saints Day; a day before a holy day. I don’t see any conflict with religion because it is the night before a religious Catholic holiday that honors people who have done something extraordinarily wonderful,” Art history and IB visual arts teacher Monica Winters said.

 Those who continue to live in the past, specifically 2,000 years ago, may choose not to participate in modern Halloween traditions such as trick-or-treating or haunted houses. However, Halloween continues to be one of the most popular holidays next to Christmas and Thanksgiving, and millions of people carry on the ghostly traditions.

  “Halloween may conflict with religion for some people who don’t believe in fun I guess, but I haven’t exactly met anyone who would say ‘Halloween is against my religion’,” junior Kayla Briel said.

 Oct. 31 is merely an innocent opportunity for children to dress up, adults to attend crazy parties, and everyone to get some sugar in their system. There’s no harm in it, and people do not celebrate it as an attempt to defy God.

 For most children there is no religious significance involved in either the day itself or in such elements as pumpkins or costumes. It is true that such things as jack-o’-lanterns, bonfires and black cats, which are part of the Halloween tradition, may have roots in pre-Christian activities, but when children go trick-or-treating or visit haunted houses they are not thinking about participating in any religious festivities at all. They are just trying to have fun as they would at a movie or amusement park.

“Halloween has little to do with religion today. Even if I do something for Halloween it’s superficial and just for fun. It’s not like I worship demons, I just eat candy,” senior Benita Thomas said.

 If some people feel uncomfortable participating in Halloween because of their religion, then they are free to continue to not do so. The day has religious significance only to those who give it religious significance, but for those of us who don’t necessarily care to affiliate religion with Halloween all there’s left to say is trick or treat.