Halloween is coming up and soon there will be little children flooding the streets in search of candy. As a child, I always enjoyed dressing up and going from house to house. I can still remember the year I was a pumpkin and my costume was stuffed full of newspaper. Another year I was a witch with purple hair and black lipstick. This in no way made me believe that I was actually a witch or make me want to practice witchcraft. As a young child I understood that all of the festivities of halloween were just make believe; just like I understood that dressing up like a Pilgrim during Thanksgiving didn’t suddenly make me want to go take over a pre-colonized nation.
I think other kids should get to experience this. Some parents believe that Halloween is a holiday celebrating the devil. While its origins do have slightly whimsical connotation, halloween is primarily a holiday made up of two combined traditions. The first tradition was mainly used by the poor. They would go from house to house and would either receive money or food or be turned away. The second tradition was people wearing masks to scare away spirits which they believed would return to earth. For those parents who don’t want their children participating in a holiday with such “pagan” origins, it might do you well to think about where the tradition of Christmas trees came from. It’s just a thought.
Other parents fear that their children might get sick from the candy they receive. While there have been a few instances, most candy given to the children is safe. If you are concerned you can check your kids candy for holes or signs of unwrapping. Some neighborhoods or churches even hold events like trunk or treat where kids can go trick or treating from the cars of trusted friends and neighbors. Instead of banning Halloween and everything about it due to misplaced traditions or antiquated horror stories, I would suggest that parents think about the real reason they don’t want their children participating in Halloween. While parents are entitled to their own opinions, I think that Trick or Treating is a fun halloween tradition that kids should be allowed to participate in. What do you think? Comment below and tell us or tag us in your halloween celebrations.
Written by Opinion Editor Jasmine Bonner
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