On the noonday news, I heard that retail sales for Halloween-related goods (costumes, candy, other spooky paraphernalia) was not only in the black but significantly higher than last year’s. It seems that many in the western world, especially here in the United States, are using the festivities of Halloween as vehicle to “escape”, even momentarily, from the stress and pressures of life as well as to entertain children by dressing them up and allowing them to do something parents would normally never let their children do: go house-to-house after dark asking for free candy from strangers.
I have never …





