The Real Fears of Halloween 2020

Hildalgo and El Paso are two Texas counties that have canceled door-to-door trick-or-treating this year [1]. There are various places in Michigan where residents are recommended to do their trick-or-treating at specific times and are encouraged to follow the Center For Disease Control (CDC) guidelines [2]. One report states:

“Following Los Angeles County, many health officials in the South, Midwest, and New England are encouraging local residents to avoid traditional trick-or-treating activities” [3].

While I see many reports saying that trick-or-treating is not totally canceled in many United States areas, restrictions are still being imposed, making this year’s celebration different from the last.

It appears that indoor costume parties, haunted hayrides, haunted houses, and directly handing candy to children at your doorstep are un-recommended by the CDC. Instead, they recommend pumpkin-carving, house-decorating, looking at neighbors’ Halloween decorations from afar, and going to corn mazes, scavenger hunts, forests, and orchards [4].

This one year of either completely missing out on door-to-door candy-collecting or having minor restrictions for the public at large pales in comparison to my whole childhood missing out on Halloween. My parents forbade Halloween. Perhaps this is why I have never wholeheartedly celebrated Halloween as an adult. Such non-exposure in childhood left me lacking nostalgia for anything Halloween-related in adulthood, so I have never felt any sense of deprivation. But looking back, I find the reasons for my parents’ non-participation to be odd.

We were conservative Christians. I was sent to a private school where everyone frowned upon public schools for their Halloween gaieties. Why go door-to-door and risk getting candy stuffed with pins and needles? I remember my mother expressed fears about that several times in my childhood. I was never made aware of the urban legends rooted in a negligible number of Halloween sadism cases that actually occurred over the decades but do not justify the paranoias many people have had annually. The case with the 1974 Texas man, giving cyanide-contaminated candy to five children, including his son, was not random. He was targeting particular children and took life insurance policies out on his children [5] [6] [7]. Can you guess why?

I was taught that October 31st was the special night for witches and Satanists to do their necromancy, spellbinding, and capturing humans and animals to use as sacrifices. My parents were so paranoid about accidental complicity in Satan’s plan that they would not even answer the door to give candy to the little children dropping by.

Hundreds of years ago, people would annually dress up to ward off evil spirits. Even though warding off evil spirits should be viewed as a good thing, my parents probably did not want to be associated with anything done in the name of a non-Christian religion. Maybe for them, that would reveal an unconscious lack of trust in Jesus Christ’s protection and a stronger trust in the costume’s protection against the maleficent spirits. My parents wanted to treat it strictly as a Satanically influenced holiday, never realizing that many Christians worldwide formally gather to have observances of All Hallows’ Eve and light candles on the graves of the deceased [8].

I am not complaining about missing out on Halloween celebrations as a child. However, I find it odd that my parents believed that participation in this holiday equated to “celebrating fear.” To justify themselves, I suppose, they taught me to believe that any participatory action(s) during Halloween would be disobedience against God, a premise that quite often inspires fear and implies punishment. That seems to defeat the purpose of peace. Right?

The Fear on Halloween Is Not True Horror

A common belief among my childhood authority figures was that becoming ill was real, but the battle's true essence was spiritual and not viral, bacterial, or biological. But this year, it appears to me that our fears are redirected to more real things, such as influenza and Covid-19, and away from the ghouls, vampires, and ghosts; at least, I hope.

Do people really care about the fear associated with the vampires, ghouls, monsters, and other supernatural entities, anyway? All the disguises and merrymaking apparently mocks what people from hundreds of years ago misunderstood about nature’s workings. So, perhaps we do not care. The thrill and ebullience we get from being scared at this time of year include a kind of fear different from the cortisol-pumping, fight-or-flight experience when encountering a bear in the woods, having a violent brawl, or a financial pitfall. Such a thrill perhaps indicates an underlying realization that the supernaturalism we associate with Halloween is imaginary.

Halloween is not inherently scary. It does not have to be associated with fear. It can be a time of self-reflection for both you and your children. As a parent, you can reflect on your inner metaphorical ghosts and demons. What worries and concerns have haunted and bedeviled you throughout the year? Obviously, our prominent fears have been about Covid-19, racism, white supremacy, public outcries, public vandalism, and the mental health effects of repeatedly sequestering yourself from others. As we face these epochal struggles (e.g., the never-ending war between facts and misinformation, the daily barrage of health and financial concerns, the hospitals inundated with sick patients, the overworked frontline virus-fighters), we should still consider what we can exorcise from our psyches to not carry that garbage with us into the next year? What particular fears about the supernatural can we avoid carrying into the new year?

Instead of using brusque statements, such as: “just don’t be afraid,” we should try to console our children by asking about their fears. Ask them to be precise. Is it the shape of the nose on a witch’s mask? Is it the way she holds her broom? Is it the red, glowing eyes of a goblin? We all have specific things deeply embedded within us that cause our fears we do not readily understand until we question ourselves. So, teach your child to face his/her fears by doing a little honest self-questioning.

Are your children fearful of this novel virus? The Anxiety and Depression Association of America recommends these guidelines: 1) “model calmness”—your children are sensitive to your panicky, anxiety-ridden state even when it is unverbalized, 2) “maintain normalcy”—idleness can worsen children’s anxiety states, so maintaining consistency and routines/schedules is key, 3) “listen actively”—allow your children to express their fears, to which you respond with empathy and without harsh judgment, making it comfortable for them to approach you in the future, 4) “validate them”—acknowledge the presence and significance of their feelings, as a way to help them make sense of their feelings, which is not the same as agreeing with nor reinforcing the beliefs veiled beneath those feelings, 5) “help sit with anxiety”—being patient with the anxiety instead of avoiding it can help them to notice, verbalize, and demystify the experience of anxiety and not feel trapped in the notion that it defines them or their life, 6) “know the facts”—discuss the issue openly and teach your children how to differentiate between scientific, reliable sources and unreliable sources, 7) “limit excessive reassurance”—giving into repeated requests for comfort and verification of safety can result in heightened anxiety later, 8) “help practice relaxation strategies”—deep-breathing and focusing on the present moment are effective, 9) “make it educational and interesting”—engage in storytelling and playful activities related to Covid-19 facts and/or other things they learn from school, all tailored according to their age and interests, 10) “watch closely and monitor”—practice CDC guidelines without becoming unreasonably ritualistic and compulsive, especially if your child is diagnosed with Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder, 11) “limit and monitor news/media exposure”—this is especially crucial when children are already prone to watching hours of daily television, 12) “consult, collaborate with healthcare professionals”—choose a reputable form of psychotherapy, namely Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that has been amply demonstrated to benefit children and adolescents with anxiety, 13) “practice compassion”—this should involve kindness and gentleness directed at yourself as well as your children [9].

As a parent, avoiding what upsets your child is understandable and instinctual, but continual and stubborn avoidance can sometimes only confirm for your child that there is something to fear. The principles of exposure therapy would have us realize that we must break the patterns of fear and defective avoidance strategies by creating a safe environment in which we are exposed to the things we avoid and fear. This is what exposure therapists do with their clients; they create a safe environment in which their clients can face their fears. As a parent, you can lead by example in this anti-fear mission [10]. Exposure therapy should be done under the supervision of a therapist.

As a scientifically validated practice, exposure therapy is used to treat a cornucopia of problems (phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and others) [10].

North Shore Pediatric Therapy describes exposure therapy as tackling a distinct fear by hierarchically ranking, from least to greatest, the different circumstances that deal with that same fear. A therapist helps to devise the hierarchy, the coping tactics, and how to come in contact with each trigger, starting with the least fearful and ending with the most fearful. The therapist works according to the child’s level of comfortableness. North Shore Pediatric Therapy states, “Help them face their fears and not avoid them. Talk to your child about how you want to help them feel comfortable in that situation and ask them to identify baby steps to slowly work towards that comfort.” They state further, “If your child struggles with specific fears or obsessive-compulsive symptoms, seek a skilled therapist to guide you and your child in overcoming these symptoms and improving their daily functioning.” [16]

We should invest more trust in our children’s ability to discriminate between what is realistic from what is fantastical. 44 children participated in a 2004 study at their childcare center where they discussed the Candy Witch before Halloween. The children were informed that the Candy Witch would go to a house to exchange candy for a toy after Halloween if she was invited. The children were provided evidence for the Candy Witch’s existence when the parents would call for the Candy Witch to make the exchange, and the children would find a toy swapped out for some candy the next morning. 66% of the children believed that the Candy Witch was real, with the younger ones (mostly 3-years-old) no more inclined to believe than the older children (mostly those four and five-years-old). However, the older children showed more sensitivity to the existence or nonexistence of evidence. Those who did not get any evidence were not duped, while those who got evidence were duped. These findings revealed that not all children are gullible or at least not as gullible as we usually suspect. Though many believed, plenty of others did not fall for the trickery. The deliverance or non-deliverance of evidence adequately impacted the older children [11].

About that study, I want to quote from Wiley Online Library:

“Factors hypothesized to affect beliefs in fantastical beings were examined by introducing children to a novel fantastical entity, the Candy Witch. Results revealed that among older preschoolers, children who were visited by the Candy Witch exhibited stronger beliefs in the Candy Witch than did those who were not. Among children who were visited, older children had stronger beliefs than did younger children. Among children who were not visited, those with a high Fantasy Orientation believed more strongly than did those with a low Fantasy Orientation. Belief remained high one year later. At both time points, the number of other fantastical beings in which a child believed was significantly related to belief in the Candy Witch” [12].

The festival of Samhain, originating with the Celts, is symbolic of the cycle of life and death. It was meant to deal with the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter's ruthlessness. It was believed that October 31st to November 1st was the pinnacle of spiritual activity. Samhain celebrants lit bonfires to drive spirits back to the spirit world and away from the living [13].

Now, what empirical evidence did they have for holding these beliefs? I do not know. My best guess is they had none. The October leaves, ground, trees, sky, and air always provide an ambiance that can make you feel lonely, murky, and depressed. It makes you experience feelings you do not have any other time of the year. An overactive imagination appears to be the go-to tool when dealing with anything spooky and mysterious. To get rid of the spooky and mysterious, we shoo it away with methods that we force ourselves to believe in instead of proving their effectiveness.

When it comes to proving what is real versus what is going to help us survive, the latter wins. I believe that Error Management Theory would agree. We have developed cognitive biases and heuristics throughout evolutionary history that favor our survival and reproductive success. When weighing the differences in the costs of our errors during uncertain circumstances, selection forces of nature must favor adaptive biases [14].

I find it unlikely that the Celts always took their superstitions for granted. Though they had to be outwardly committed to their cultural norms, they likely had sometimes said to themselves, “Are these spirits real, or am I crazy and delusional? Maybe it’s better to be crazy and delusional than to risk being right about these evil spirits.”

It is better to fall prey to a false positive (believing an effect is there when it is not) than it is to fall prey to a false negative (not seeing an effect when it is there). Think about it: erring on the side of caution (getting out of the building when the fire alarm goes off) versus becoming vulnerable because of ignorance (being skeptical when the alarm is accurate).

But we as 21st Century thinkers know better. With all the technology, surveillance, and updated heuristics we have, have we ever been able to detect anything that gives us reason to believe that spirits are crossing over from another realm to harm us?

Other Real Things to Worry About Instead of Ghosts!

When gallivanting through your neighborhood, be more concerned about traffic and pedestrian accidents than any visitants from beyond the grave. The National Safety Council estimated that 7,450 pedestrians were killed in traffic or non-traffic tragedies in 2017. The research found that 18% of these deaths occurred at crossings and intersections, during which low visibility and lighting were likely causes. A child's risk of getting killed by an oncoming vehicle doubles during Halloween time [15].

The other thing to be mindful of is costume safety. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends nonflammable costumes with masks that allow them to see. They recommend giving glow sticks and reflective tape to your children to alert drivers that pedestrians are nearby [15].

Some rules to establish for you and your family:

1. A responsible adult should be with the children for the entire time they go around the neighborhood.

2. The older children should stay on a pre-planned route that you know is safe.

3. Your children should agree with you on an exact time to return home.

4. They should remember to never get in a vehicle with a stranger.

5. They should remain in areas where plenty of light is present, and they never get separated from their friends.

6. They should not open or eat their candy until they return home.

7.Their eyes should be facing forward in front of them and not looking at their phones/electronic devices [15].

General Disclaimer: All sources are hyperlinked in this article. The author has made their best attempt to accurately interpret the sources used and preserve the source-author’s original argument while avoiding plagiarism. Should you discover any errors to that end, please email thecommoncaveat@gmail.com and we will review your request.

All information in this article is intended for educational/entertainment purposes only. This information should not be used as medical/therapeutic advice. Please seek a doctor/therapist for health advice.