As you walk down any path, road, or street, the sudden upsurge of spindly faux-cobwebs, oblong jack-o-lanterns and other spooky spoofs may leave you asking yourself: “is it Halloween again already?” Conversations once containing relatively average levels of substance, are dominated quickly by the ever dreaded: “who are you dressing up as?”. 

for many people in the UK, the thought of what to wear or what trick-or-treating route to take is not the source of their distress, instead, their focus is driven towards ultimately trying to avoid the holiday altogether. According to a 2022 survey, almost half of people asked if they celebrate Halloween said they don’t, and 1/5 of these responses explained it was for religious reasons.

Apathy towards the holiday, from a religious perspective, usually stems from the grey area surrounding Halloween's origin and purpose, and can act as a deterrent for many people of particular religions: while speaking to Mathilda-Rose, a local primary school student who observes the Christian faith, she told us that she chooses not to celebrate Halloween as it is "The Devil's birthday". her response highlights the misinterpretation that many make when examining the holiday.

Halloween, also known as All Hallows Eve, does not mark the birth of Satan, but instead precedes All Hallows Day, commemorating Christian saints that are in heaven, its spookier more well-recognised characteristics such as  motifs of the occult like witches and devils are a result of the commercialisation of the holiday.

Educating oneself on the history and origins of Halloween can aid in making a more informed decision on whether to black-out the lights and hide in the attic this October 31st, or embrace the celebration with a new found zest.