Halloween is the only holiday that truly dominates October in the United States (US). Originally, the day was celebrated as “All Hallows’ Eve,” a religious occasion to pay respect to and mourn the deceased, but the meaning of Halloween has changed over time. These days, October is when grocery shops sell an alarming number of sweets, every yard is decked with Jack-o’-lanterns and people spend hours making gory or humorous costumes that they will wear on Halloween. Although many places throughout the world celebrate October 31st, no one observes Halloween quite as Americans do. Since Americans can be a bit dramatic, things can get out of hand.
Sometimes Halloween can be life threatening. With the increase of crimes on Halloween, and the risk of drunk drivers, rigged candy, open doors and little to no lighting, there are a lot of dangers that we should be aware of.
According to Scott Humphrey, a Travelers Risk Control handler, “There are 17% more crime related claims on Halloween.” A professor from Northeastern University believes “violent crimes increase by as much as 50% on Halloween, which is two times the daily average.”
Growing up, I never had any problems with trick-or-treating other than the weather. If people follow the main safety standards, it makes it harder for anything bad to happen.
For starters, let’s be honest, trick or treating makes children the main conversation over strangers. Children are taught to not approach strangers, knock on their door, or take candy from them. Yet during Halloween, everyone completely ignores these rules.
During Halloween, children receive chocolates from a strangers. “They [the strangers] looked pretty nice” is what most parents innocently claim. Regarding serial killers, that is also the consensus. Ted Bundy looked like a movie star, so much so that many women believed that he wouldn’t commit such heinous crimes.
Going up to a stranger is not the only thing that is improper here, the main problem is taking candy offered by these people. This candy is easily injectable with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or other drugs. As dangerous as that sounds, I have only seen unfortunate events happen on television, but I always check my candy, because better safe than sorry.
If a child is somehow laced with drugs, by the end of the evening, they might truly believe they are Iron Man. Parents do, of course, I hope check the candy haul at the end of the evening, to make kids feel 100% secure.
Due to the reduced visibility on Halloween, traffic safety is especially crucial. Tell kids to keep an eye out for automobiles. Glow sticks or flashlights can help drivers spot and adorn the outfit with luminous tape or stickers as an added safety precaution. Yes, it may ruin your costume, but safety is more important than being run over by a car.
Granted, fake blood and scary masks have become traditions over time. Halloween has a special past. The main origin of Halloween dates to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. According to MSN.com Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred.
The Pixar movie Coca explored those exact tropes in the movie. Speaking of Coca; On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. Hence the holiday Día De Los Muertos.
Día De Los Muertos is one of the most beautiful and colorful holidays that is celebrated. It brings together family members whether they are alive or dead.
Some people are opposed to Halloween, whether it be for being too old, a religious aspect, or the weather being too cold, the main reason always comes down to kids. Parents think it is an inappropriate, dangerous holiday for children.
According to HowStuffWorks “In modern society, children are in some physical danger when they go trick-or-treating because they are walking around neighborhoods in the dark, accepting candy from strangers.”
Personally, I love every bit of it, except the chilling weather. If only Halloween could be the mixture of summer into fall weather. The breeze is always gentle, and the temperature is better than warm without it ever being too hot. I think Halloween is lovely, and it’s one of my most favorite holidays from the decorations to the movies to the ominous music. I do have a wicked sweet tooth as well.
It can be dangerous, too. Open doors and sitting outside while passing out candy can be an easy target for criminals who wish to steal. Let alone the constant worry of whether a child’s candy has been laced or not with something potent. My mother had scared me to the bone when I was younger, I had always thought someone would always kidnap me if I wasn’t careful weather, I was holding hands with her or not.
In the end, it’s always important to watch your surroundings twice as much as usual and be mindful of where you’re walking. Be sure to travel in groups of at least three or more. It’s the only night where kids can talk to and take things from strangers.
