Halloween is, you must admit, a pretty mixed-up holiday. I mean, start with the name. We all know it’s short for All Hallows’ Eve, but I’ve never heard anyone refer to November 1 as All Hallows’ Day; it’s more commonly called All Saints Day. Anyway, November 1 is supposed to be a day to honor and remember the dead, so naturally the day before we have… let’s see… pumpkins, witches, ghosts, spiders, random costumes, candy for the kids, and the threat of casual vandalism directed toward those who fail to supply treats on demand. That all makes perfect sense. Also, for some reason, we’re all subjected to a playlist that consists mostly of “Monster Mash” and “Thriller.” Well, the chocolate definitely takes the edge off the horror of death, so at least there’s that.
