This is my second favorite holiday of those we generally celebrate here in the United States. The costumes, the candy, the masquerades, the “ghost” stories, and most of all, the absence of organized religion, all contribute to my enjoyment of this holiday. Although Halloween is believed to have arisen from the Celtic celebration of Samhain, it’s celebrated mostly as a secular holiday nowadays.
Did you know that in Ireland and Scotland, turnips were traditionally used for carving jack-o’-lanterns? Pumpkins were used here in America because they were larger and more readily available. You can read about this and much more here in the Wikipedia article about Halloween.
I like pumpkin, especially when baked into pie, bread and muffins. A pumpkin spice latte is also a yummy treat. I’ve eaten some pretty delicious pumpkin ice cream, too. Of course, it’s the “pumpkin spices” that I really like. Caramel apples and caramel popcorn (made into popcorn balls) are two other foods traditionally associated with Halloween that I enjoy.
I despise commercialization of any holiday, but at least it’s not a main focus of Halloween as it is with Christmas and some other holidays. Commercialism is impossible to avoid in our society, but I’m usually able to ignore it successfully with Halloween.
Halloween is a holiday that has traditions and celebrations for all ages. It’s a celebration for celebration’s sake without any deeper meanings or hidden agendas. That’s what I like best about Halloween.
