Op-Ed: Halloween’s Celtic roots are a lot spookier than witches and candy bars
“It’s about the power of community and the power of our traditions,” says Sarah MacDonald, president of the Highland Folk School, which teaches traditional Irish music and folklore to young people. But MacDonald also has a keen eye for the “dark side” of the holiday.
“I remember coming home one afternoon and watching my son’s friends playing with a small plastic bag in the backyard,” she says. “I was not amused. That’s not good for children, and we need to stand up and say ‘Enough is enough.’”
The bag was filled with pieces of Halloween candy, which neighbors said that her son, now 20, had been gathering in preparation for trick-or-treating on that very special day.
MacDonald, who is also a certified professional clown, admits she’s sorry her son had to leave the candy behind, but she’s also glad that the community has come together to fix the problem. When Halloween rolls around again this fall, MacDonald is hoping that this time, neighbors will treat Halloween for what it really is: an annual cultural festival.
According to MacDonald, Halloween traditions are ancient, and people from all over the world have come to celebrate the holiday. It’s not just a celebration of a person’s childhood fears, but one that tells us about ourselves.
“You can use the same techniques and the same stories and turn the trick or treat into an opportunity for self-discovery and self-awareness.”
“When you have children, they are trying to find their identities and they’re trying to discover themselves, but also the children that they’re growing up to be,” she says. “They’re trying to live in the culture and the world around them without fear.”
But that’s easier said than done.
“When you have children, they are trying to find their identities and they’re trying to discover themselves, but also the children that they’re growing up to be,” she says. “They’re trying to live in the culture and the world around them without fear.”
“When you have children, they are trying to find their identities and they’re trying to discover themselves, but also the children that they’re growing up to be,” she says. “They’re trying to live in the culture and the world around them without fear.”
“When you have children, they are trying to find their