Early last week as I was standing in line at Old Navy, arms full of glittering tulle skirts, a witch hat, ladybug wings with matching tights and two plastic pumpkin treat buckets, my 3-year-old asked, “Why do I say twick-a-tweat on Halloween?” This got me thinking, until my concentration was broken by my 2-year-old toddling fearlessly into a gigantic spider web display. Once we finally made it home with our loot and de-webbed ourselves, I called for a round-table discussion at the Wee Believers Think Tank (i.e. company conference line) to hear the answer. And here it is—thought you might like to hear how the Catholic faith plays an important part in this favorite hair-raising holiday!

The word Halloween is a short form of "All Hallows Eve," the day before All Saints' Day. Hallow is the word that we find in the Lord’s Prayer meaning "holy", and e’en is a contraction of "evening." Check out our All Hallows Eve activity In the year 835, the date to celebrate All Saints' Day was changed to November 1 to Christianize the existing pagan time for remembering the dead—to bring light to the darkness, and hope to the most basic of human fears.  The following day, November 2, is All Souls' Day of course. What a “treat” that Halloween became one vigil for two feasts celebrated by the whole Church! In the Catholic culture of the Middle Ages, there was a superstition that those who had died the previous year without being reconciled to you might rise to haunt you, appearing as will-o’-the-wisps or ghosts. Once they had your teeth chattering, you could release them by prayer and forgiveness or try to appease them with "soul cakes"—cookies, fried cakes, "treats"—so they wouldn’t do you any mischief with their "tricks." Soon those who were living began to use the occasion for reconciliation, to wipe the slate clean for the coming year. Hence why we hand out treats to Trick-or-Treaters! This season is a perfect time to take a hint from the falling leaves and consider our own mortality with all its spiritual and practical consequences. The Church gives us two feasts and the whole month of November to do this. Here is a simple invocation for the dead, called the “Eternal Rest” prayer:

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; And let perpetual light shine upon them. May they and all the faithful departed, Through the Mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.

If you want to test your skills at finding some words in disguise, try this All Hallows Eve activity. Remember to check back for updates and new printables! Have a blessed week, friends.