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October was always the least dependable of months … full of ghosts and shadows.
--- Joy Fielding
It's as much fun to scare as to be scared.
--- Vincent Price
Night time festivals are celebrated in many cultures around the world. In the USA, October 31 is the chosen date when people expect children of all ages to roam the neighborhoods in search of candy. The battle cry, "Trick or treat" is taught even to the youngest child and promptly rewarded with candy.
Halloween has its roots in very old cultures that predate Christianity. Some find Halloween offensive for that reason. Others find the evening offensive because they have a bunch of strangers trampling across the front lawn like they own the place. Many people just like the fun the evening provides. Not everything has to be true to its roots to be genuine in the moment.
Many cultures and festivals were nearly forgotten because they were handed down through oral traditions or only present in festivals. Just like the people in the olden days found reasons to come up with festivals, writers should do too. We get the benefit that our festivals have a chance to stay genuine since we are writing them down and determining the rules.
The rules of Halloween are pretty much defined by what the local homeowners association will allow. Maybe what the municipal code allows. The rules of your fictional festivals don't need to worry about that. Can you invent a fictional festival that is so pervasive that it takes the world (or at least a good chunk of it) and becomes a ritual that people enjoy over and over?
Is Halloween a night full of fantasy and wonder or just a nuisance to you?
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