Think of the major holidays and what they are about. Thanksgiving is easy-it's about giving thanks. Christmas is about giving to others. Easter is a little harder, but if you think about how Jesus was resurrected on that day, and how it is associated with springtime and eggs, you soon learn that the underlying theme is new beginnings.
But there is one holiday that is missing from that list. Despite being one of the major holidays in this country, nobody seems to really know the true meaning of Halloween. There is not really a message you can take away from this unique holiday. Remember back to your trick-or-treating days. When you got home on Halloween night, did you stop to think about what you learned that day? No! You probably stuffed your face with candy and passed out in an exhausted sugar crash!
However, Halloween and trick-or-treating means so much more than just candy and fun costumes. It is a metaphor for growing up.
That's right, you read correctly. The most childish thing to do on Halloween, trick-or-treating, is about growing up.
Think about it. When you were a kid, you would dress up in something you had never worn before, you would go out late at night, and talk to strangers in exchange for a reward of candy. It was probably the most independence you felt until high school. You would probably go with a group of friends, and even if there was adult there to supervise, they probably followed a distance behind you as your little legs ran from house to house.
The real world can be scary. There are people you do not know, and you have to stick up for yourself and make your own decisions. Trick-or-treating is like that. Kids will go out on the spookiest night of the year, walk among ghouls (or at least people pretending to be ghouls), go to peoples' door and demand their candy, all without the aid of an adult. It is also a great way for children to express themselves. They can be anyone they want to be on Halloween. A little boy can finally wear his Spiderman outfit and be his hero for the entire night, or a little girl can dress as Elsa from Frozen and pretend she is the queen of her kingdom.
And it is not just going door to door that prepares them for their adult life ahead. They have to learn how to collaborate with other children in order to get the most out of their night by working out their trick-or-treating route.
The meaning of Halloween is not to be scary or to get cavities from eating too much sugar, it is that you can be independent and successful while having fun. So whether you are taking your children trick-or-treating this Halloween, or if you are just handing out candy, remember the impact that this holiday has had on you and the important lessons that children learn on this very spooky night.
