Why Does Halloween Keep Getting Banned?

Halloween, or All Hallow's Eve, often brings about images of trick or treaters, costumes, candy, scary movies, and spooky decorations. Still, the holiday is a sinister one to some groups who try to ban the celebration of the holiday, whether it's through a lack of Halloween-related activities at a school or altering what sort of public displays can be made.

The holiday has Celtic origins, and throughout the course of history it evolved into All Hallow's Eve, the night before All Hallow's Day or All Saint's Day. According to a History Channel minisite devoted to the history of the holiday, the act of trick or treating probably derived from poor people begging at homes for food and money. People also left bowls of food outside their home to appease ghosts travelling on the holiday, and wore masks when they went out at night so that ghosts would think they were fellow spirits.

The sinister aspect of Halloween which includes superstitions and costumes depicting devils, witches, and other scary creatures, came under fire as early as the late nineteenth century. Communities encouraged children-friendly parties and celebrations, and this helped bring about a revival in trick or treating for children and young adults. While trick or treating is still very much a strong tradition every Halloween, the holiday is still criticized for its dark side.

Religious groups take offense with the holiday, with Christians believing it honors the devil, Muslims disagreeing with its pagan and Christian roots, and according to Jewish beliefs, Halloween doesn't follow Jewish sentiments and therefore should not be celebrated.

These oppositions to the now largely secular celebration of Halloween have caused the holiday to be banned in public schools and to be censored in other public facilities. Many churches host alternative harvest parties, and schools and entire cities shut down Halloween parties and parades in response to concerned religious parents. (http://buzzfeed.com/buzz/Halloween)_Ban As a library worker who designs monthly displays, I have personally been instructed not to include witches or goblins or even the word "Halloween" in my display signs. Cats, jack-o-lanterns, and mentions of fall are permitted.

Why has this holiday, which has religious origins but hardly is a pious event in modern times, become a banned event? Even Wiccans usually celebrate their fall rituals before October 31st to avoid distractions by Halloween traditions such as trick or treating. The urban legend website Snopes.com states that reports that Satanic rituals occuring on Halloween were "inconclusive". While it's true the holiday is a cherished one for horror fans and that costumes can be grotesque, is it accurate to call the holiday Satanic?

Ultimately the decision to observe Halloween or any other holiday is a personal one made by individuals and families, who have the freedom to either ignore the holiday or find their own ways to celebrate it, whether it's with traditions or with personal touches. The banning of religious holidays in the public square deserve the same treatment, with secular and "safe" displays. On a related note, when I design displays for December, I can make a sign with Christmas trees and snow, but no angels or references to any religious figures. Also, any books on religion must be informative rather than celebratory, i.e. a book about what Christmas means to Christians/Hannukah to Jewish people/Kwanzaa to Africans, but not books that explain why someone should celebrate a certain god.

The freedom to celebrate what one chooses is an essential one. While we must be sensitive to other's beliefs we also shouldn't have to form our lives around faiths we do not believe in. There needs to be a middle ground for all holidays, particularly when it so heavily involves children's festivities. Halloween shouldn't be banned as a holiday cherishing evil, as it's not rooted in a celebration of the demonic, but if it goes against one's religious beliefs it should be approached with caution in terms of public celebration. Halloween should be a fun time for those who enjoy it, and should be allowed to be enjoyed by anyone who wishes to dress up, pass out candy, watch a scary movie, or enter a haunted house.

Further Reading:

"The History of Halloween" http://www.history.com/minisites/halloween

"Should Christians participate in Halloween?" http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/halloween.html

"Jewish Halloween?" http://www.beingjewish.com/faqs/halloween.html

"A Muslim at Halloween" http://www.beliefnet.com/story/115/story_11523_1.html

"Halloween: From a Wiccan/ Neopagan Perspective" http://www.religioustolerance.org/hallo_np.htm

"Halloween Legends" http://www.snopes.com/holidays/halloween/halloween.asp