3 Innovative Ways to Celebrate Halloween

The witching hour is upon us again. The end of October marks the time to plan out your Halloween costumes and get that bag of candy ready for trick-or-treaters. But where and how did this celebrating of Halloween on October 31 originate?

Cultures all across the globe honor departed loved ones this time of year in recognition that the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds is thinner than ever. According to The World Book Encyclopedia, Halloween gets its origins from Samhain, a Celtic Pagan festival celebrated 2,000 years ago. The Celts would dress up as a means of tricking any wandering spirits into thinking they were kin, thus leaving them alone. In addition, offerings of sweet things were thought to appease the departed souls.

These days, not everyone participates in dressing up or buying and eating overly sweet candy. Here are some ways you can honor the holiday at any range of interest!

Have a Fall Outing

Who doesn’t love corn mazes, pumpkin patches, hayrides, or pumpkin carving? Invite a group of locals for a fall outing to celebrate Halloween and enjoy the brisk fall air. Wrap the day up by welcoming everyone back to your community center to make some Halloween themed desserts (Pinterest, anyone?) and get cozy watching some classic Halloween movies. Cue creepy sound effects!

Trick-or-Treat-or-Meet Your Neighbors

Whether you take your kids trick-or-treating around the neighborhood, or just provide candy to those who ring your doorbell, take this opportunity to get to know your neighbors and community. Familiarize yourself with who lives two blocks over and three houses down. The next time you see them on the street, you’ll be able to say ‘Hi,’ or invite them to dinner or a Sunday service. You never know what kindred spirits may need someone like you to knock on their door!

Connect and Share

Maybe the topic of life after death is something you want to discuss with others, but you don’t know-how. Meetup.com is a great way to connect with people in your area who have already made groups related to this topic of interest. Join any groups that ring true to you, or better yet, create your own! Halloween is a time that brings awareness to the topics we don’t otherwise think about: angels, devils, ghosts, good, evil, Heaven and Hell. Share with others in your community by holding a discussion group in a local café.

This is the time of year when we see the mortality of summer through the changing leaves. Spirit world is always with us, and this time of year we have the chance to feel closer and more connected with our ancestors. Halloween is an opportunity to connect with, not just your spiritual ancestors, but also your neighbors.