Halloween

Halloween (October 31) is a colorful and whimsical holiday. Its celebration today is a uniquely modern American tradition, but it has roots in traditions of the ancient Celtic peoples from the British Isles.

On Halloween, it used to be believed that ghosts, spirits, and witches came out to do harm to people. Scary decorations in the form of skeletons, skulls, spiders, and black cats (to name a few!) were supposed to frighten the evil spirits away. The holiday became a more lighthearted, community celebration in the late 1800's.

The tradition emerged for children to dress up in masks and costumes on Halloween. They go from home to home (usually accompanied nowadays by an adult) and say “Trick or treat!” when the door is opened. People give the children candy, cookies, or coins. Sometimes, children wear their costumes at Halloween parties in their schools.

It is not uncommon for adults to wear masks and costumes when going to a Halloween party. Here in New York, the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade on Sixth Avenue is an annual spectacle, with young and old displaying their creative and highly amusing costumes. The event attracts crowds of spectators from everywhere, and the streets of downtown New York will be jammed!