We used to participate in Halloween. But a few years ago, even before we found traditional Catholicism, I started to be really bothered by the whole display. It started for me when our mayor actually "moved" trick or treat night. That year Halloween was on Saturday, but he moved it to Wednesday. He actually told the whole area that no one could trick or treat on Halloween. What the hay? So I started thinking about what it means to Americans. It means absolutely nothing to them. It is merely a time to buy the most ridiculous and macabre items to decorate their lawns with--to have some display of the wicked. Last year, as I suspect this year will be, there was nothing but zombies. Zombies coming out of people's yards, zombie children, zombie races, zombie parades. Children only want candy and I watch as people drive over car loads of kids and drop them off and wait at some central location. It means absolutely nothing.
We just don't participate anymore. In fact, most people on our street don't participate either, for various reasons. We just don't turn on our lights and we don't decorate at all, except for a jack-o-lantern. Instead, we have a party at home with pizza and too much junk food. We get out old pictures of our family and talk about their lives. We pray a rosary for their souls in purgatory.
Sometime during the month, we usually have an All Saints Party for the children, which they all enjoy anyway.
One year, we actually went to the cemetery and lit candles.
We've just decided to leave Halloween for the pagans. We will just celebrate All Saints and All Souls Day.