Thomas Webber

How times have changed.

Why, when I was but a wee lad back in the 1970s, Halloween meant dressing like Superman or Wonder Woman; watching “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and bobbing for apples in the junior high school gym.

Today, kids dress as blood-covered monsters or half-naked anime characters, people watch Daryl Dixon shoot zombies in the eye, and kids throw apples through the junior high school windows.

Yes, it is that time of year, when little tykes and tykettes roam around with outstretched bags, begging for candy. Meanwhile, dentists start shopping for new yachts as cavities become rampant.

“But, Tom,” I hear you saying. “Couldn’t we, as responsible adults, simply give out healthy foods or even toothbrushes as treats to the children?”

By all means. It is not too difficult to remove toilet paper from trees. My advice: Use a hose.

What an interesting holiday, Halloween. It is much more than masks, pumpkins, and the start of the countdown to Thanksgiving. It actually has an interesting history. As with many other holidays, its origins can be traced to ancient pagan traditions.

Halloween finds its roots in the British Islands more than 2,000 years ago. At that time, the Celtic people celebrated a festival called Samhain (literally, “summer’s end”) on or around November 1.

Samhain marked the end of the harvest and the preparation for the harsh winter months that would follow.

Some sources claim that Samhain was also a time for individuals to reminisce about those who have passed, and possibly even commune with them. While this is a source of debate, many historians do posit that this association with death and the macabre links Halloween and Samhain together.

Other cultures contributed to the festivities associated with modern Halloween as well. The Romans, for example, celebrated Pomona this time of year – the goddess of fruits and trees. Really. We see this influence in decorations and activities of the season (see, “apples, junior high”).

Halloween follows a path similar to Christmas and Easter. When Christianity came to Britain, monks decided that it was easier to incorporate local traditions within the weave of the new sacred ones. November 1 is the Christian Feast of All Saints and November 2 is All Souls Day.

As a result, October 31 became the Eve of All Saints, or All Hallow’s Eve – Halloween! A holiday rich with Christian, Roman and Celtic histories.

Jumping ahead, America didn’t really practice any traditions connected with Halloween until Irish immigrants brought them from Europe in the mid-1800s. In true American fashion, Halloween has since been turned into a profitable children’s holiday.

So, while there are some religious groups that still embrace its spiritual messages, Halloween is now synonymous with big business. Indeed, more than $9 billion was spent on Halloween costumes, decorations and candy in just 2017 alone.

That’s a lot of boo in the bank!

Speaking of sweets, Halloween also brings the dreaded phrase “trick or treat” uttered over and over and over. What a strange proposition to present to individuals who might otherwise just be trying to enjoy a quiet evening at home.

The notion of people disguising themselves and begging for food is not new, especially in the winter months. Mass solicitation rituals were actually quite common centuries ago.

That explains the “treat.” The “trick” part is linked with what started as playful mischief.

On Halloween in the late 1800s, simple shenanigans might be played in a neighborhood or town. A pot overturned here, a lantern blown out there. Simpler times.

Sadly, by the 1930s, what were once innocent pranks had become more aggressive forms of vandalism. Municipalities responded to this growing frustration by embracing the old ideas of dressing up in disguises and asking for food. It was thought to be a way of redirecting youthful, shall we say, “energy.”

So, what children are basically saying to you is, “give us a treat or we will direct our youthful energy to committing aggressive forms of vandalism on this neighborhood or municipality, whatever the case may be,”

Such darling angels.

But now, you must excuse me. Mrs. Webber has promised that she will dress as Wonder Woman this year as a special treat for me.

And that’s a trick I don’t want to miss!

Thomas Webber teaches AP Physics at Oakleaf High and worked in the planetarium field for nearly 20 years, including at MOSH, and has also taught physics and astronomy at both the secondary and collegiate levels.