As Humpty Dumpty said to Alice in Wonderland, a word means whatever I want it to mean.
And if it means the same to you, we communicate.A holiday only means what we want it to mean, too. Telling us how it started is irrelevant. What Druids think matters not. These people celebrated for certain reasons and hung a title on it. Telling the majority today that the real reason they celebrate is different from what they think is foolish.
Halloween for most celebrators is simply a chance to laugh at things that normally seem scary - spiders, death, gore, bad people and their afterlife counterparts. It's also fun to get together, exchange treats, take kids around the neighborhood and, in general, act silly.
A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.
Halloween means what we want it to mean. Nothing more. The next day, the costumes and decorations are stored, not canonized.
Sane people can laugh at demons once a year and go to church the next day and learn how not to become a demon. Then, we get ready to celebrate the next holiday. A day we decided is to cause thoughts of thankfulness.
A few bitter people will boycott Halloween, thinking it is something it is not. They'll miss the fun of seeing cute bunny rabbits, strange goblins, Bo Peeps, sweet witches knock on their door and mumble "Twik oh Tweet." The fun of watching their eyes light up over a bit of candy.
Bitter people are sad. On this day you can "Boo" or "Boo Hoo." Your choice.
Happy Halloween! Boo!
Mark Stoddard
Orem