By Christian Warren Freed
It’s almost that time, Holly Springs! A night of spooks, goblins, skeletons, and ghouls. Halloween is approaching and decorations are already springing up around town. While this is my personal favorite holiday, despite the endless stream of Christmas movies my wife insists on watching, I couldn’t help but wonder where the idea of decorating our yards came from.
Most neighborhoods have that one house that goes all out. That special yard filled with skeletons, tombstones, and nightmare creations clawing their way from the cold earth. In passing, we both admire the work that went into creating such a scene — the time spent, the cost associated — but we also see another side when the sun comes up. We see the joy those families have in knowing trick or treaters will either be terrified on their approach or filled with smiles and wonder as they skulk from house to house in search of their favorite sugary treats.
Halloween is a night of family. Children are escorted up and down the block in neighborhoods across Holly Springs as soon as the sun starts to set. What began as the Celtic festival of Samhain, a time when the veil between the realms of the living and the dead was thinnest, somehow turned into an evening of scary movies, innovative costumes, and sacks of candy plunder.
In the old times, the Celts would dance around bonfires in costumes of animal heads and skins while painting their faces with ash to ward off evil spirits. Imagine, hundreds of years later, ash transformed into wearing masks. It wasn’t until the 8th century when Pope Gregory II named November 1 as All Saints’ Day, thus the evening of October 31 became All Hallows’ Eve and, eventually, Halloween.
European immigrants brought their celebrations to our shores over a thousand years later and they became popular and evolved into the extravaganza we enjoy today. Thanks to the Irish and Scottish immigrants, we revel in the folklore that spirits might return from the dead if not appeased. They introduced the art of pumpkin carving and dressed as ghosts, monsters, and devils to ward off evil.
By the 1950s, as the nation (and world) plunged into rebuilding after World War II, trick or treating and haunted houses became a thing. Today, those ancient superstitions are riddled with fun, mayhem, and for some older teens, mischief.
Debra and Tosh Bapat had the one house in our neighborhood everyone flocked to on Halloween. Their parties were massively impressive and inclusive of kids and adults, complete with a DJ in the cul-de-sac and decorations from the mailbox to the roof.
Debra explains, “The night is alive with excitement as kids of all ages take to the streets, dressed in their finest costumes. Decorated houses and porch lights set the stage for a night of thrills and chills. Families and their monsters, big and small, come together and are welcomed with open arms to grab a handful of candy and enjoy the spooky sights and sounds. A night to let your imagination run wild and have a night you’ll never forget and a chance to visit with all your neighbors. It’s just good old fun!”
Who can argue with that? Their enthusiasm isn’t limited to my neck of the woods. Halloween fever is everywhere. All the way across town in one of White Oak’s subdivisions, families stock up on candy for the hundreds of trick or treaters pounding the pavement.
One resident says, “The joy of trick or treating is full and is shared among the whole community. There is no house that is greater than all the rest. But there are some houses who do wonderfully unique things. Dressing their garage for a spooky event, window-videos of spooky videos, creepy sounds echoing the cul-de-sac, giant models and inflatables, games to play, or the treasured full-size candy bars.”
Another went on to describe a house in Twelve Oaks that had giant dinosaur skeletons in their yard. While the family has since moved, this resident continues going by each year out of nostalgia to see if the new owners have anything exciting to see.
Candy and costumes aside, there is another aspect to Halloween night. Peter Koutroumpis, the former president of the Hensley HOA, says, “Halloween, among other days of celebration, can be a positive community-building and rallying event.”
Dawn Hooper of Sunset Ridge seconds this. “Sunset Ridge has many families with children and the trick or treating in this neighborhood is known to be one of the best in town. Not only do the residents go all out in decorating, there are before trick or treating parties for parents and kids, and neighbors gather in driveways to greet the kids as they come around for their treats. You can always find someone with hot chocolate or a cold beverage to share.” She also says the one spot for the good stuff is on Chrismill and Skymont Lanes.
One aspect of Halloween night isn’t all fun and games. Eager to fill their bags, some trick or treaters are driven from neighborhood to neighborhood, often going into places they’ve never been before and only return to once a year. This brings with it the potential for bad things to happen.
As one Holly Glen resident says, “It’s dark, kids are in costumes (some of which block their complete vision), and it’s busy. Mature drivers take their time and cautiously navigate the kids, anticipate their paths — often running across the street because they assume it’s safe to do so. There are other drivers, too, though. Young drivers taking their friends around, or their siblings. There’s a lot going on inside the car as well as outside the car. It has all the elements of a disaster. Personally, I feel that if the house is too far to walk to, it’s too far to trick-or-treat at. There are exceptions for me. I know that not everyone lives in a neighborhood, and I understand that those kids should be able to celebrate as well.”
One thing is clear. The more we advance as a society, the more we need to slow down a little and pay attention to ensure Halloween is enjoyed by everyone… and the local dentists take their cut a few months later after all the candy is gone.
Halloween fever isn’t contained to one night. Oh no! That would be far too simple. Those dedicated decorators flock to their favorite Halloween stores early on November 1 to grab their share of the heavily discounted spoils as they already scheme up next year’s displays.
No matter where you stand on the subject, there is no denying the raw energy and power in bringing us together for a good night of trick or treating. As we approach this year’s holiday, remember to take care and be safe. This truly is a fun night, and we all deserve a little innocent fright here and there.
Don’t take my word for it though. Listen to this Twelve Oaks resident instead: “It is so great to see hundreds of people roaming around the streets, parents and children alike wearing their costumes and sharing joy to everyone on the streets.”
Happy Halloween, Holly Springs!
