Why I Don’t Celebrate Halloween

I fully expect to get mocked for this, so feel free if you have the urge. But, I've always attempted to be honest with people and this is no exception. Here goes. It's now just over a month away and I want to explain why I don't celebrate Halloween. Not even a little bit. Believe it or not, I do have serious reasons why. If you can stop laughing long enough (I don't blame you if you are), I'll attempt to explain myself.

Halloween (or All Hallows Eve) has origins at least as far back as the Celtic festival of Samhain, although it may go back even further than that.  I'll let much smarter people than me explain some of the basics.  Here's a quote from a Halloween article by "The Examiner":

The celebration of Samhain, or Halloween as it is more commonly called today, traces its origins to the occult observances and practices of religious pagans such as the Wicca, (another name for witchcraft) and the Druidism of the ancient British isles.

Samhain is, to this day, considered to be the most holy and coveted sabbat of the year by the Wiccans and other Pagan religions.

I would be the first to admit that to most people, Halloween is anything but serious.  It's just another party day and a chance for kids to stock up on Snicker bars.  I dressed up for Halloween when I was a kid.  So, what's my problem with it now?  If you dig below the surface, you realize that this really is an evil day.  Here's a clip from a pretty mainstream Halloween website:

The Celts believed the souls of the dead roamed the streets and villages at night. Since not all spirits were thought to be friendly, gifts and treats were left out to pacify the evil and ensure next years crops would be plentiful. This custom evolved into trick-or-treating.

Again, I fully expect mocking for admitting this, but I have had direct encounters with demons.  Perhaps that's a story for a different day.  But, suffice it to say that (to me anyway), Halloween is a serious day and not for the right reasons.

I don't impose my beliefs on others.  If you celebrate Halloween with your kids, it's a free country.  Have fun.  All I ask is that you understand that there is a reason why I don't celebrate that day.  And, since it is a free country (for now), I would encourage you to use your Google time to fully research what October 31st is really all about.  It might just make you think differently about what on the surface appears to be just fun and games.

Here's a starting point.  A simple documentary on The History Channel: