Dressing up is fun and many activities can be harmless. But danger lurks in this world--seen and unseen.
I encourage families to bypass 31 Oct as a celebration. Dress up and play another day. Avoid the affiliation with groups who attribute more significance to the unholy-day. There are too many for whom this is not a night of fun and games, but intentions much more serious.
...he will give out candy to his neighbors when they trick or treat. When the doorbell stops ringing, 25 of his followers will accompany him into his backyard, light torches and a bonfire, and set up an altar for prayer. "We'll call the spirits of the dead and invite them back to our house for one night of remembrance," he said.
As they speak to a mirror and whisper into a crystal ball, trying to reach their dead ancestors, their actions will be motivated by love. "We get messages from our loved ones," said Poirer. "Our ancestors give us strength for the new year."
Steven Rosenberg, GLOBE STAFF CORRESPONDENT. "THE WITCHES IN OUR MIDST THIS MECCA ATTRACTS TOURISTS, ACOLYTES ALIKE." The Boston Globe (Boston, MA). 2002. HighBeam Research. (October 20, 2010). http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-7756209.html
