Joseph Kirschner
The cultural history of Halloween is very connected to ancient Celtic practices, Catholic and Roman rituals and European folk traditions. Used by Celts to ward off evil spirits while lighting bonfires and wearing costumes to recognize the end of the calendar year and the beginning of a new one, Halloween has now taken a totally different meaning–a holiday.
When we were kids, we used to love getting dressed up for Halloween in our costumes and going trick-or-treating with our friends. Getting bags full of candy and trying to make it last as long as possible were the only things on our minds, but now we are in college with a very different perspective on Halloween.
Still, the costumes are there to show how clever or brilliant your idea for your costume is, and instead of trick-or-treating, you are probably going to find yourself at a party, having fun just as we did as kids.
Although the purpose of Halloween is to have fun and pretend to be someone or something else for a while, it can also be a time to realize that we are not kids anymore. The stomach ache you got when you were a kid from eating too much candy in one sitting on Halloween could be more like a hangover which can result in having to deal with serious consequences, rather than just being “sick” from too much sugar in your system.
Unfortunately for some, a reminder is not enough to ward off irresponsible behavior. However, another notion to be smart, safe and responsible never hurt anyone. Be smart, safe and responsible because a ride in the ambulance is no way to enjoy a fun day like Halloween.
