Do We Go Overboard for Halloween?

A society communications question:

I've noticed that Halloween seems to have grown substantially in importance as a holiday. Years ago it was one night -- -kids went around and collected candy, maybe a few adults had a costume party.

But in more recent years it seems to rival Christmas as a major holiday. TV networks produce multiple Halloween-themed shows, run horror movies throughout the month. There are many elaborate parties for adults and kids. Costumes and events (public haunted houses) have grown very elaborate.

It seems society has gone way overboard on this, particularly the entertainment media.

There are a few subgroups in society that make a very big deal about Halloween, but I really doubt they can influence the rest of us so much.

Thoughts?

[public replies please]

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I suspect Lisa is correct. Here in Independence, our annual Neewollah Festival has grown from a single day in the 1920's ('Neewollah' is Halloween spelled backward) when it was observed on October 31 as a way to keep children out of mischief by organizing events for them, to today, an Octoberfest thing which goes on the last *two weeks* of October; this year from October 19 through October 29 (or early morning on October 30, I guess), and there is more mischief all this week around town (mostly much drinking and rowdy behavior) than the kids or anyone else would have thought possible in the 1920-30's era. To see what all the excitement is about, check out

. With tons of quite _overpriced_ food from a variety of street vendors, parades, carnivals, a large and extravagent costume party affair at Independence Country Club on Saturday night for the more formal crowd and plenty of liquid refreshment at every tavern in town for the less formal participants, this is the week which is sometimes known as 'the Mardis Gras' of southeast Kansas. Police have already geared up for the overflow crowds here all this week. The 8000-citizen popu- lation of our town about triples or quadruples during Neewollah.

My cats get so nervous and uptight all this week with the mobs of people roaming aound past my house; I seldom let the cats go outside at night anyway, and never during Neewollah. They are likely get scared and run off. Yes Lisa, I would definitly say too much is made of 'Devils Night' each year. At least we do not have trouble like Detroit has most years, with buildings set on fire, etc. On Halloween itself, I will sit inside in the dark with my shades drawn and not answer the door at all. PAT]