Editor:
Halloween is an example of why I love the multicultural aspect of Canadian culture. We are free to choose the best of the many traditions of our varied ancestors. We are also changing and varying them to fit our modern reality.
The English Wassailing that took place on Christmas has transferred to Halloween in the form of trick or treating and that seems to mean going to the malls instead of house to house as our houses are spread out and people are not necessarily home between 5 and 8 p.m. or don’t have a trick or treat tradition.
The English disguised themselves because they were afraid of the dead who awoke that night. The Mexicans and the Japanese greeted and fed their ancestors so they had no idea what the English were afraid of. The disguises became costumes for a big Mardi Gras party, like the one Romeo crashed at Juliet’s house. In Sechelt we seem to have a new tradition in the form of the dancing witches.
Fireworks are used by the Chinese to scare away evil spirits so they have transferred from New Years to Halloween. I was hoping that the wonderful Drone Show in Sechelt would replace the fireworks as other countries have done for they are so hard on the wildlife and pets.
Tradition can modernise and I am delighted to participate in a new tradition of greeting people with “Happy Halloween.”
Joan Payne, Sechelt
