Thursday, October 31, 2013

Halloween: from scary to skimpy

By Jackson Mosher
Most people know about the basic story of Halloween, and how people used to wear costumes around the end of October to ward off ghosts. It actually originated with the Celts, an ancient society who lived in Western Europe and celebrated their new year on November 1st.  Since their new year was in the middle of the fall, it signified the transition from the bright and hot season of summer to the cold and dark season of winter. This was mainly related to the idea of death, so the night before the new year, on October 31st, the Celts believed that ghosts of the dead would return to the earth. They celebrated this occasion by wearing costumes and building a bonfire, but in order to properly commemorate this day, they had to make sure that their costumes fit the “day of the dead.”  They had to be scary. And some would say that that’s not how it is anymore.
            Many costumes nowadays, or at least costumes that I’ve seen, just don’t fit the spirit of Halloween. Most high school and college girls will wear things that make them look “good,” (as I’m going to put it) like wearing a costume that’s basically one black corset, one tiny skirt, and a little extra decoration to make them look remotely like a “cat.” Maybe another girl will wear a nurse’s cap with a white shirt and skirt to match, but that they look like they can’t even properly breathe in. 
            Halloween is supposed to be scary, not sexy. It’s a day of the dead, not a day of “I’m going to see how little of this costume I can legally wear in public.”

            It’s not an issue with absolutely everyone, but these kinds of people who wear these kinds of costumes disappoint me. Halloween seems to have changed over the years, from frightening outfits to short skimpy skirts. It’s not entirely the fault of those who wear those costumes, it’s what society’s been demanding; everyone has had a part in this change.

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