I like Halloween

One of the things I like about Halloween is that it is overtly pagan. It has not been retrofitted or appropriated by Christianity. That isn’t to say I’m a pagan. I don’t see anything particularly wrong with being pagan. It’s just not my identity. But I know that my ancestors were, and although we might not know in great detail what they believed, we know that they did have their own ideas and beliefs before Christianity showed up. Those beliefs meant something to them. It helped them cope with life. I like acknowledging that, and I like how not every aspect of their pre-Christian existence has been erased.

I like that Halloween is kind of dark and creepy. I spent most of my life in West Virginia, and that state has four distinct seasons. I live in the Central Valley of California now, and yesterday, I went to the store wearing shorts and a t-shirt even though it’s almost November. But in West Virginia, it’s starting to get cold and you know it’s only going to get colder. The vegetable gardens are gone, the apples have been picked, and you know the earth isn’t going to give you much until spring. That had to be a scary time for our ancestors. No wonder they would focus on death and their fear of being haunted this time of year. They were living close to the edge, and they must have wondered if they would make it until spring.

I have never liked winter, but the weather this time of year in West Virginia is rather pleasant. It’s not very cold yet, and the heat and humidity of summer are gone. The memory of summer still lingers, so it’s nice to be able to go outside wearing a light jacket or sweater and to be comfortable for hours, so long as it isn’t raining. And the colors… Oh, my God, the colors. It’s a special time of year in West Virginia.

Many people think the holiday season begins with Thanksgiving, but in my mind, I’ve always pushed that back to Halloween. Once you get to Halloween, it’s only a few weeks to Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving is another holiday that I associate with fall colors, cool but pleasant weather and ancestors. Maybe more recent ancestors as opposed to ancient and pagan ones, but still I think of those who came before me, those whose existence gave rise to my existence.

Halloween might have started as a way to acknowledge your fears, but here in the U.S., it has taken on some aspects of Pride. On Halloween, you can shed expectations, including gender expectations, and express some part of yourself that you usually keep hidden in a way that’s playful and funny. I like that. I like Halloween.