True meaning of Halloween

Due to many people's misconceptions of what the True meaning of Halloween is, I decided to do a little research. In my research, I found that this holiday is based on a European tradition. It was based on a holiday that we as Christians still celebrate today, All Saints Day. In our Church, we celebrate All Saints Day by having a special service to remember those church members, families and friends who have died over the years. All Saints Day is November 1st. Among many Christians, there has been concern that things have gotten out of hand. After all, doesn’t Halloween glorify evil? Is it right to send our children out dressed up as devils or vampires, or is it better to emphasize the saints, whose nearly forgotten feast day is the reason for Halloween? Hallow is the same word for "holy" that we find in the Lord’s Prayer, and is a contraction of "evening." The word Halloween itself is a shortened form of "All Hallows Eve," the day before All Saints Day. This holiday, properly understood and celebrated with all of its fun trappings, can be a way for us to deepen our understanding of our faith. The key to this understanding is close at hand for Christians in our love of the communion of saints.