Costumes Directory - In Ireland Halloween is far more

In Ireland Halloween is far more traditional an event then in North America, with more cultural and historical significance, as opposed to the commercialized importance on the other side of the Atlantic. Therefore even amongst most Christians it is a far more accepted holiday with hardly any moral objections, in particular amongst Roman Catholics. However some people do find an Americanization occurring towards Halloween, which in turn could affect some traditions, notably the Samhain origins of the festival. It should also be noted that Guy Fawkes night is not celebrated in the Republic of Ireland at all. (In fact it is prohibited as it is a British protestant celebration of Catholic failure to overthrow the Monarchy in the 1605 Gunpowder Plot. In the past, it was used in Britain as a celebration of Protestant Ascendancy). Therefore Halloween replaces the celebrations that are experienced in the UK on 5th Novermber, whereas in Britain Guy Fawkes Night is culturally more important.

In North America, Christian attitudes towards Halloween are quite diverse. The fact that All Saints Day and Halloween occur on two consecutive days has left some Christians uncertain of how they should treat this holiday. In the Anglican Church, some dioceses have chosen to emphasize the Christian traditions of All Saints Day,[26][27] while some Protestants celebrate the holiday as Reformation Day, a day of remembrance and prayers for unity.[28] Celtic Christians may have Samhain services that focus on the cultural aspects of the holiday, in the belief that many ancient Celtic customs are "compatible with the new Christian religion. Christianity embraced the Celtic notions of family, community, the bond among all people, and respect for the dead. Throughout the centuries, pagan and Christian beliefs intertwine in a gallimaufry (hodgepodge) of celebrations from October 31 through November 5, all of which appear both to challenge the ascendancy of the dark and to revel in its mystery."[29]

Some Christian churches commonly offer a fall festival or harvest-themed alternative to Halloween. Most Christians ascribe no significance to Halloween, treating it as a purely secular entity devoted to celebrating "imaginary spooks" and handing out candy. Halloween celebrations are common among Catholic parochial schools throughout North America, and in Ireland, the Catholic Church sees it as a "harmless ancient custom."[cite this quote] Father Gabriele Amorth, a Vatican-appointed exorcist in Rome, has said, "[I]f English and American children like to dress up as witches and devils on one night of the year that is not a problem. If it is just a game, there is no harm in that."[30] Most Christians hold the view that the tradition is far from being "satanic" in origin or practice and that it holds no threat to the spiritual lives of children: being taught about death and mortality, and the ways of the Celtic ancestors actually being a valuable life lesson and a part of many of their parishioners' heritage.[29] A response among some fundamentalists in recent years has been the use of Hell houses or themed pamphlets (such as those of Jack T. Chick) which attempt to make use of Halloween as an opportunity for evangelism.[31] Some consider Halloween to be completely incompatible with the Christian faith, due to "its preoccupation with the occult in symbols, masks and costumes," its origin as a Pagan "festival of the dead", and the fact that it is also observed, albeit in a non-traditional form, by Satanists.[citation needed] In more recent years, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has organised a "Saint Fest" on the holiday.[31]

Many conservative Jews and Muslims have similar religious objections to Halloween.[citation needed]

People of diverse religions (or no religion at all) may naturally be concerned about the vandalism and destructive behavior that can occur on the holiday. Halloween is a prime time for vandalism, sometimes targeting holy sites such as places of worship or cemeteries.

Objections to celebrating Halloween are not always limited to those of the Abrahamic religions. Some Wiccans feel that the tradition is offensive to "real witches" for promoting stereotypical caricatures of "wicked witches".[32] Some Neopagans and Wiccans also object to Halloween because they perceive it to be a "vulgarised, commercialised mockery" of the original Samhain rituals. However, other Neopagans, perhaps most of them, see it as a harmless holiday in which some of the old traditions are celebrated by the mainstream culture, albeit in a different manner.[citation needed]