Halloween haters misunderstand true meaning of the holiday

Since I was a little girl, Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. It even got to a point where my friends had to tell me I was too old to trick-or-treat.

Finally having to give that up though was OK because then I got to experience the excited look on a little Disney Princess’s face as I gave her her first treat of the night.

I still got to dress up and be someone else for a night, and go out with my friends. I still got to experience the suspense as I walked through the haunted corn maze and carved pumpkins, and convinced myself that an overload of candy this time of year was acceptable.

And though all these things are fun, there’s still a true meaning behind Halloween that evokes my love for it even more.

It’s a true meaning that those who rag on this holiday fail to see.

First off, I’d like to point out Halloween is the one specific holiday in which everyone can take part. It doesn’t have a certain stereotype or discriminate against who can join.

Also, there’s another beauty to it, and that is that for one night you can be whoever you want. You get to pretend to be someone else, and this isn’t a bad thing as some might think.

Gina Barreca, who has a Ph.D. in psychology, says on other holidays you often pretend to be something you’re not in order to keep up with your expected appearance. However, on Halloween it is typical to pretend. You’re not stressing to be someone you’re not, you simply are just who you want to be.

In her article, Barreca states that “on Halloween you get to wear a REAL mask, a comic one, an obvious one, and not just the emotional one most of us put on for other holidays.”

Halloween also represents a symbol of trust.

When children and their parents go to a stranger’s door and the stranger gives them a free gift, whether it be candy, pretzels, or an apple – yes, this has happened to me – it shows the trust they are putting in someone they barely know.

This holiday essentially is representing how communities come together.

I know people dislike Halloween for certain reasons such as the controversy around women’s sexy costumes and issues regarding the holiday promoting children to eat unhealthy.

But honestly, if someone wants to be sexy for a night, who cares?

If a child’s parent wants to limit them to four bite-sized candy bars a night, I think it’s safe to say their health is still intact.

My point is that those who try so hard to dislike the holiday are pinpointing every little thing that bothers them about it when, instead, they could be taking part in the fun it has to offer and recognizing the values it truly is instilling.

Therefore, on Oct. 31 I encourage everyone to dress up and not let this year’s Halloween pass you by, and maybe learn to love this holiday the way I do.