Halloween (alsospelledHallowe’en) , butistodaylargelyasecularcelebration.
, werewolves, vampires, —suchasblackcats, bats, andspiders—arealsocommonlyfeaturedinHalloweendecorations.
ThemostcelebratedHalloweendecorationistheJack-O’-Lantern, -O’-, ’, , theIrishpeoplecarvedscaryfacesoutofturnips, beetsorpotatoesrepresenting “JackoftheLantern,” orJack-O’-, -O’-LanternsinthewindowsofahouseonHalloweennightletcostumedchildrenknowthattherearegoodieswaitingiftheyknockandsay “Trick-or-Treat”!
DressingincostumeisoneofthemostpopularHalloweencustoms, , ghosts, , costumesinspiredbycontemporarypopularculture, suchaspoliticiansormoviecharacters, .
Trick-or-treatingisanotherHalloweentradition, , childrengreeteachhomeownerwiththecry “Trick-or-Treat”, , trick-or-treatersvandalizedthehouseifnotreatswereproducedorifthetreatsmetwiththeirdisapproval.Sincetheearly20thcentury, however, thethreatoftrickshasbeenlargelyceremonial.Beginninginthe1970s, , manyparentsaccompanychildrenwhentheygotrick-or-treating.
Insomeareasofthecountry, , manyHalloweenpartiesfeaturecontestsofbobbingforapples, ’sHalloweenpartiesaregenerallyheldinprivatehomes, manybarsandnight-clubssponsormodifiedversionsofsuchfestivitiesforadults.
