I particularly like Halloween, because its one of those few times in
American culture, when people are encouraged to talk to their
neighbors. Bands of spookily clad folks roam through neighborhoods, and
nobody calls the police. People gainfully reclaim public space, and
redefine how they interact with others. We need more citizen-driven
spectacle, so I really support this holiday.
I’ve loved Halloween since I was a kid. I remember when I was in junior high I
told a girl: “I wish Halloween could last for 30 days like Ramadan!”
She said “um… I’m not Jewish.”
That being said, I haven’t had a proper Halloween in years. In college
I remember doing several costume changes over the days leading up to
the 31st. I dressed like a “slutty soldier” and “a notable reggae
performer.” One year my roommates and I dressed as Otter Pops, the
flavored icicles. We also found corresponding flavors of MD 20/20, a
fortified wine. (MD 20/20 stands for Mogen David, so I think it’s the
premier “Kosher bum wine.”)
After college I lived in Mexico. They don’t celebrate the Americanized
version of the holiday (though they’re starting to) because they
observe their own pre-Hispanic semi-religious un-official holiday: “Dia de los Muertos.”