By: Julia Aidan
Submitted: 2009-06-05 12:55:46 | Word Count: 535
No matter how adults dress up Halloween, many families (especially in North America) believe that it should still be a celebration for the kids. We owe this perhaps to the fact that Halloween is both a celebration of ghouls, ghosts and goblins and a celebration of strong family ties.
Halloween & the harvest
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Before the advent of Hollywood-inspired costumes, Halloween was that time of the year in rural places in America for farmers to open their land to hunters. Halloween was a critical time in the year when hunting season was on, and hikers and vacationers began pouring in to pristine lands in the Northeastern region of the US.
Harvest period is a central point in 19th century mythology in the United States. Legends and tall tales were often spun as the harvest season came to fore.
Trick or treat!
For a while, people were afraid of trick or treat sojourns into the night because of urban legends. These urban legends included:
- People who placed rusted razors into candied apples
- Contaminated candies given to kids
It was in the late nineties that the percentage of homes that gave out candies during Halloween began to increase. It was a good sign for kids and a better sign for adults everywhere. A higher percentage of people who still believed in trick or treat meant kids were safer to go out at night in their neighborhoods.
Why do people cling to the vision? Many believe that supporting the trick or treat tradition of Halloween showed the degree of solidarity in a neighborhood. If your kids can be safe from harm at night, under the care of all the adults who are anticipating the arrival of the children, then you're in a good neighborhood with responsible adults.
School & Halloween
One of the strongest forces in American culture promoting Halloween is the school itself. When the conservative groups have began to loosen their grip on the celebration, schools began hosting events during fall. These events included:
- Halloween parades
- Halloween parties
The tradition is 'taught' to children. However, in recent years, Halloween has become more and more about consuming Halloween-themed commodities than sharing solidarity with neighbors or enjoying the company of good friends and family in gatherings.
Big bucks!
Apart from being a traditional time for the spooky things, large companies are finding more and more reasons to smile during the festivities. "Children's festival" is an understatement; the candy industry makes sure that the festival can be enjoyed yearlong.
From simple candies that bear resemblance to the hallmarks of horror films and stories, such as Count Dracula and the Wolf Man to gummy concoctions that bear resemblance to false fangs and bloody snakes, Halloween has truly become a consumerist enterprise.
It is estimated that all products related to Halloween bring in a whopping $950 million a year. That's not bad, considering that, some of these high-rolling products are merely trinkets. In the final analysis, Halloween becomes a training ground for children to become wise adult buyers and shoppers.
That's Halloween for you; festivities for children, yet guarded largely by adults.
