It's Tuesday night

Not much has been said about Halloween this year, but don't forget it's Tuesday night.

As the holiday has evolved more and more celebrations are being held on the weekend prior to Oct. 31 so as not to interfere with school activities.

Many churches are having Halloween events this weekend and I applaud those that allow the children to participate in a fun day that allows them a chance to fantasize somewhat.

We frown on the ones that wish to put a lid on Halloween. In todays politically correct world, the efforts to put a damper on Halloween celebrations because of the theory that it promotes witchcraft and devil worship is going a step too far. Yes, we concede that if you look at a rack of Halloween cards you'll see a lot more witches and ghosts than ballerinas and princesses. But the orange and black colors of the Autumn holiday don't mean anyone is promoting devil worship. Halloween dates back centuries to the Celtics who lived in Ireland, England and northern France. In those days, there was no Doppler radar to warn the citizens about the weather and no long-range seasonal forecasts. In the mid's view, there were two seasons, summer and winter.

The last day of October signaled the end of the growing season and Nov. 1 signaled the beginning of winter, a time when many things died. So the two seasons were synonymous with life and death. The Celtics believed the spirits of the dead would return to earth on Oct. 31 and so humans, not to the mistaken as a "spirit" would dress in costumes as they wandered about on that evening. Also, the Celtic priests - the Druids_- believed the spirits were beneficial in making prophecies about the upcoming year.

Various influences, both cultural and spiritual, shaped Halloween into what it is today. In the 19th Century the influx of immigrants to America brought many customs and celebrations to our country. The Irish immigrants should probably receive the most credit for helping establish the modern traditions of Halloween. Unfortunately in today's world, it's best not to leave things to chance. Adults should accompany young children on their quest for treats. And they should check to see that candies are properly wrapped.

For the very young, explain Halloween as a chance to dress up in a costume, go to a party or knock on a neighbor's door and ask for candy. As children grow older, explain some of the history of holiday. There are plenty of books or websites that will help answer their questions.

We are 100 percent confident that they won't be drawn into witchcraft or devil worship by celebrating Halloween For those of you that disagree, we say, "Bah humbug." You probably would have given out a healthy snack anyway.