As the start of November has approached, the highly anticipated day of Halloween was mere days ago and despite the excitement children feel to roam around and fill their baskets full of candy, I was led to wonder what the significance of Halloween is. It is interesting to explore how an ancient festival has evolved into a night of gorging on candy, a night of horrors and highly commercialised decorations and the impact it has on society today.

History and culture:

As most do not know Halloween stems for the ancient Celtic tradition to celebrate the end of the harvest by dressing up in costumes to ward off ghosts. Over time it has utilised aspects of other cultures to the point where we now dress up as the ghosts that costumes once intended to scare away in this horror-filled extravaganza. While over the many generations the festivities remain the glue that hold together the community on this night, it is fair to say that the meaning of Halloween has strayed from its intended purpose to a night that revolves around amusement and allows people to disengage their imagination through pumpkin carving and decorations from the monotonous shackles of a 9 to 5 job. Halloween is subject to the scrutiny of the cultural richness being diluted yet it is up to us to decide whether this is a turn for the worse or the better.

Obesity:

Candy and sweet treats are a staple of this spooky night but what is even spookier are the obesity rates in the UK being close to 60%. It is no doubt that everyone deserves a treat, yet the shockingly high obesity rates expose flaws with the current system as children amass large quantities of sugar that could lead to a dentist’s worst nightmare: cavities, and obesity that not only has physical health risks but may also have a mental health impact on children through bullying. While not wishing to seem like the villain of Halloween, perhaps the societal expectations imposed upon houses to give out unhealthy treats should be lifted as well as the stigma on healthier treats that can not only be delicious like flapjacks but would have positive health impacts. Perhaps a different approach to Halloween candy is what is needed to revive Halloween from the knife that a sugar overload is driving through it.

Crime:

Trick-or-treating is a Halloween necessity but the darkness of night fosters danger at every turn. Trick-or-treating is an activity that has many social benefits such as building community relations and there is no doubt that some of my favourite memories and closest friendships were forged through trick-or-treating. However, despite the supervision under the watchful eyes of a guardian, people are attacked by others in costumes, contraband such as illegal substances and blades are snuck into the candy of innocent children and houses left unattended by keen families may be subject to robberies. These are no doubt rare incidences but trick-or-treating may serve as being a larger headache for parents than it is fun and it makes us question whether the joy it brings is a reasonable counter to the opportunities it provides for crime.

Commercialism:

Halloween is a fountain of economic opportunity for large corporations that are able to capitalise on the sale of confectionary, decorations and costumes amongst other things. It is hard to say whether the intense commercialism takes away from the spirit of the holiday as it is hard to get far without seeing the iconic black and orange that encapsulates our modern idea of the Halloween spirit but for many, it serves as a valuable source of income. The economic boost Halloween brings is essential in aiding families and livelihoods.

Wasted Food:

Pumpkin carving is widely carried out through activities such as competitions ranging from a couple of people to national events, attempts to grow gargantuan sized pumpkins and the streets cluttered from head to glow with the faint glow from the candles inside pumpkins and their eerie, crooked smiles. Yet, November 1st is where the problems begin to seep in as the pumpkins stand there, a shell of their former selves; in pieces, in the bin or soaked from the torrential rain that seems to curse the night after Halloween. An average of 15.8 million pumpkins are wasted per annum on Halloween which is 95 million meals globally and that is disheartening to hear. Despite it being one of my favourite Halloween activities, it is hard to continue knowing it could have been better utilised by the millions of starving people around the globe.

In conclusion, the festival we know as Halloween is composed of both a night of economic success, community bonding and enjoyment yet is also governed by the crime, obesity and commercialism that makes it up. Despite is short-comings, Halloween is sure to remain the spooky spectacle that is celebrated around the globe yet perhaps a balance between its different aspects is what we are in dire need of.