Trick or Treat
The date is Oct. 31, but school district events are billed as a Harvest Festival and Character Parade, Trunk or Treat, Character Parade, K-1 Costume Parade, Harvest Celebration, Character Parade and 25 Book Campaign Kickoff. Only one school is having Halloween Class Parties.
A combination of concern for safety and political correctness has changed the holiday dramatically in recent decades. Trunk or Treat does away with the need to walk up to the doors of strangers to get treats. Decorated cars park with their open trunks full of candy and kiddies go from car to car under plenty of adult supervision. The “harvest” aspect of the holiday takes away the witch-and-goblin emphasis that still prevails in front yard displays.
The Harvest Festivals are often referred to as the Christian response to what is essentially a Pagan holiday, indeed called by some the Witches’ New Year, Samhain. Funny, the term “pagan” originally just meant peasant or country-dweller – you know, those folks who grow stuff and then harvest it.
On the city side, there will be an 8 p.m. curfew and a police presence in both marked and unmarked cars to ensure safety. See the city web site at http://www.plainfield.com/ for more details.
Whatever your take on Halloween, have fun and don’t eat too much candy!
A combination of concern for safety and political correctness has changed the holiday dramatically in recent decades. Trunk or Treat does away with the need to walk up to the doors of strangers to get treats. Decorated cars park with their open trunks full of candy and kiddies go from car to car under plenty of adult supervision. The “harvest” aspect of the holiday takes away the witch-and-goblin emphasis that still prevails in front yard displays.
The Harvest Festivals are often referred to as the Christian response to what is essentially a Pagan holiday, indeed called by some the Witches’ New Year, Samhain. Funny, the term “pagan” originally just meant peasant or country-dweller – you know, those folks who grow stuff and then harvest it.
On the city side, there will be an 8 p.m. curfew and a police presence in both marked and unmarked cars to ensure safety. See the city web site at http://www.plainfield.com/ for more details.
Whatever your take on Halloween, have fun and don’t eat too much candy!
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 3:02 AM
2 Comments:
From the City's website - "all motor vehicle and traffic laws will also be enforced to ensure that no on takes advantage of this holiday."
Another typo on the main page yet!
At least this one is not a million dollar mistake.
Would it be possible to get an update on the various construction projects. How many are moving forward and how many appear "stagnant"?
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