Halloween

What is it about Halloween?  Originally it was a night to honor the recent, that year, dead.  The original holiday was spelled Samhain, pronounced Sowen, and was a night set aside to honor the yearly deceased.  Some traditions state that it is the night when the boundaries between the living and the dead are the thinnest but as far as I know the dead just want to go on to their rewards and not hang around.  However this is about the night before ALL SAINTS DAY, most commonly called Hallowed Eve or Halloween.
In the Spanish traditions people go to the cemetary near their home and clean the place up of all trash and weeds.  In order to placate the dead they leave a treat for them on the headstone.  Usually this will be a favorite treat like a piece of rice cake or perhaps a candy bar.  Then the gravesite is cleaned up and everyone leaves.
In English traditions it is the night of Witches, where anything is possible.  On Witches Eve people go around dressed as if they were witches to hide who they are so that they will not be spelled by a witch.
In German traditions it is one of the last  of the Fall Festivals where they not only honor the children of the year but they honor their dead.  This is done with some kind of sweet for the children and beer for the graves.  Pumpkins and pies are also eaten and judged during this Festival.
So what is Halloween?  I have never figured it out in America.  It seems to me to be just one more series of parties that go on during the fall leading into Christmas that costs me more and more each year.  I could see some candy for the littles, but the teens need to spend time with each other.  The cut-off for candy should be 13 not 19.  Do I spend too much on Halloween?  You bet. However in my defense I usually buy my stuff on 1 November rather than October whatever.  Have I gotten cynical?  Oh a bit.  I still enjoy scaring the kids coming to my door however.  So if you want to be scared then try getting past my decorations.  You never know some of them might be real..............Boooo!!!