Bats, black cats and spiders are often connected with this holiday. Human figures that are often represented on Halloween are witches and wizards, who are seen to have the power to contact the spirit world. These include the spooks, ghosts and walking skeletons that represent the contact between the spiritual and physical world and between the living and the dead.
There are various symbols associated with Halloween. Now Halloween is a very profitable holiday for the manufacturers of costumes, yard decorations and candy. The types of products available in Halloween style increased with time. Halloween costumes started to appear in stores in the 1930s and the custom of 'trick-or-treat' appeared in the 1950s. The commercialization of Halloween started in the 1900s, when postcards and die-cut paper decorations were produced. Immigrants from Scotland and Ireland brought the holiday to the United States. In Christian times, it became a celebration of the evening before All Saints’ Day. Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is a time when magic is most potent and spirits can make contact with the physical world. Halloween originated as a pagan festival in parts of Northern Europe, particularly around what is now the United Kingdom. They may also be excited and dart out unexpectedly from between vehicles or behind bushes. If they are wearing dark costumes or masks, they may be less easy to see than normal. If you drive around in late afternoon or evening, it is important to keep a careful lookout for children who are unaccustomed to being out on the street after dark. Government offices and businesses are open as usual and public transit services run on regular schedules. The money collected is then given to UNICEF and used to help needy children worldwide. As children trick-or-treat on Halloween night, some of them might carry small cardboard boxes with the UNICEF logo on them and collect coins instead of the usual candy. One cause that ties with Halloween is collecting donations for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). This will help you to please the little spirits in your neighborhood!
If you are at home on Halloween, it is a good idea to have a bowl of small presents or sweets to offer to anyone who knocks on your door. These were traditionally intended to ward off evil spirits. Some families carve lanterns with 'scary' faces out of pumpkins or other vegetables or decorate their homes and gardens in Halloween style. However, if your children take part, it is important to accompany them and to check their 'treats' to make sure they are safe to eat or play with. This is known as playing 'trick-or-treat' and is supposed to happen in a friendly spirit, with no nasty or mean tricks being carried out.
If they do not get this, they threaten to do some harm to the inhabitants of the house. At each house, they demand sweets, snacks or a small gift. Many children dress up in fancy costumes and visit other homes in the neighborhood. Adults may celebrate by watching horror films, holding costume parties or creating haunted houses or graveyards. Parties and other events may be planned on October 31 or in the weekends before and after this date.
However, some areas hold large community events. Halloween is usually celebrated amongst family, friends and, sometimes, co-workers.