A twist for trick and treat

It is Halloween if ghosts, goblins, witches, astronauts, cartoon characters, and a wide range of other bizarrely-attired creatures are knocking on our doors asking for sweets. To their delight and the amusement of their parents, children dressed in spooky costumes swarm to nearby homes to ask for something, typically candies. This is what occurred in the days leading up to or even on All Saints and All Souls Days. For all we know, their parents may have called and coordinated the neighborhood's participants long in advance of the occasion. This is precisely what happened in our small community.

As they say, Halloween flips everything on its head. The dead roam the earth. Rules are made to be disregarded. Additionally, children have a great deal of power. They select the costume they will wear. They expect candy from others, which is a demand. Their battle cry is "trick or treat." On Halloween, they can act like adults and try things out that they would never be allowed to do at other times.

Today's young adults as well, who are caught between childhood and adulthood, also see Halloween as a great parallel to their battles to define who they are and find their place in the world. Due to their involvement, Halloween has been redone and is now bigger, more ornate, and more expensive. It does, however, complete the cycle by going back to its origins as a holiday observed primarily by adults.

Halloween is not only about candy. It is also a chance for teenagers to get creative and show a different side of themselves, whether in how they dress or how they do their makeup. Being able to decorate their homes and think of creative ways to dress up can be very liberating for them.

The parade of children dressed as certain saints, however, is a custom that we can only hope spreads among us. According to Philippine church officials, the ideal way to observe All Saints' and All Souls' Days is to dress up as your favorite saint, angel, or other biblical character. Our youngsters will learn about the virtues of these saints' life when they were still on earth by emphasizing their unique characteristics and features. This type of practice strongly incorporates values.

The tradition of trick-or-treating can be given a twist by encouraging our children to dress as saints rather than monsters or devils. And encouraging parents to avoid giving their children an "underworld" appearance.

This practice was started by Catholic churches and other religious organizations, but it is remarkable that it has gained traction in many communities and among parents. This would hopefully create a balance between honoring the memory of departed loved ones and our saints, whose lives on earth are worthy of emulation.

In the end, frightening costumes turn Halloween into a celebration of death rather than life. What do we bring to graves when we pay our respects? Flowers and bouquets, which are indicators of life. When lit, candles offer evidence of life as well. In cemeteries, we even bring food and host events, which is another indication of vitality. It is a celebration of life. We want our departed loved ones to have the kind of life they will have in heaven.