Halloween

So I’ve been exposed to a new set of Halloween traditions in Centralia, Il this year.  As crazy as it sounds, tonight (October 24th) is trick or treat night here.  “Why?” you ask.  Because tomorrow night is the 82nd annual Centralia Halloween Parade!  The town has been hosting this event for decades and in order to retain its prominence in the region and attract locals from other towns, it is always held near, but not on, Halloween.  And thus because the town has decided that this is “Halloween weekend,” The Man has proclaimed that trick or treating shall occur tonight.

I’m going to go on the record and say I’m opposed.  It seems a little bit greedy to celebrate a holiday on a different day just so that you can attract more people to your own party.  Also it comes with the price of literally having no Halloween celebrations next Friday (which is actually the day of the holiday!)  A further consequence is that all of the merc’s in the area get to go trick or treating twice because they drive here tonight from other towns tonight and the opposite happens in a week.

Lastly I was surprised and intrigued to learn that local churches here are sponsoring alternative events tonight (games, face painting, prizes, etc), because they frown on Halloween as a Pagan ritual.  Now I’m not advocating heresy, but I would argue that Halloween in its current incarnation has become more of an American holiday than a religious one and is celebrated as such with millions of kids getting to dress up and go get candy simply cause it’s fun.  I think the kids should be out in the streets getting sick on candy tonight.  And by that I really mean on the 31st.