By Diego Martinez
Guest Columnist
I do not believe that Halloween affects religion. Maybe a rephrase of the question is better. “Is Halloween religious?”
I believe Halloween is not a religious holiday anymore. It used to be, that’s for sure, but late-stage capitalism had different plans for the holiday.
The same thing happened to Christmas when Coca-Cola practically created the modern Santa Claus around 1945.
It started out religious, but it hardly seems to be that way anymore. These last three months of the year are a capitalist’s paradise. They’ll have you buying ghosts, spiders and costumes year after year after year.
It’s not all bad though. Lately it seems like trick or treating is a relic of the past. Perhaps it’s the economy, or maybe millennials finally succeeded at eradicating child friendly events.
I remember during my six months of Bible study, we learned about its religious roots. That it is a pagan holiday, and we shouldn’t celebrate it.
Maybe it’s because I myself am not religious, but who cares. I am not Christian, and I am not pagan.
I can celebrate whatever I like to. I celebrate Christmas. I also celebrate Thanksgiving, and none of my ancestors had anything to do with the first thanksgiving dinner.
In fact, most of my acestors were Hispanic, and I don’t think you have to be pagan to celebrate Halloween because the modern holiday is so far removed from its roots today.
I believe the only major religious holidays that are still largely religious are Hanukkah, Ramadan and Easter. So no, a secular holiday like Halloween and Christmas cannot affect religion. Those holidays are technically celebrated by everyone now.
Maybe I am just bitter that my mom decided to be Christian for a year and didn’t let me go trick or treating at the height of Five Nights at Freddy’s popularity. Costumes have also become a lot more extravagant and ridiculous.
A few days ago, I went perusing through the children’s Halloween costumes, as you do when there’s nothing else to do.
I saw a pile of Minecraft swords and pickaxes. I had a good long thought about what I saw. There weren’t pickaxes when I was a kid in 2010. Now parents just buy their kid’s costumes, which makes sense to me.
Back in the day, my mom would make them for me, but she is a baby boomer.
I wonder how many millennials and Gen Z parents know how to sew even a button! Anyway, I don’t believe it is a religious holiday anymore.
Minecraft Steve surely was not there at the beginning. I don’t believe it should be treated as a religious event either.
To me it is a community event that caters to children and face paint corporations. At the end of the day, community is a good thing and it would make kids sad to not get free candy.
Overall, we should enjoy Halloween however we want to, and we should let others celebrate it even if it is not the way we do it.
Nevertheless, we better start getting our costumes ready because we are never too old to go out to trick or treat, and maybe go to a party.
