Dear Halloween,

Sometimes, you are misunderstood. They think you’re evil and a waste of time. People say you’re the day of the devil and you shouldn’t be celebrated. But it isn’t true, only if they would open their eyes and see you bring people joy, laughter, and happiness. The scares are all in good fun. Candy will not rot your children’s teeth. It is not the devils day. You are mistaken for evil when you are filled with good.

You are misused, sometimes. Teenage girls see it as an opportunity to go out in the least amount of dress. Other young adults just want an excuse to party and drink. They don’t see your true meaning. Kids just want sweets. Parents waste their money on handing out full-sized candy bars to the entire block. They do not see your true meaning.

You’re not meant just for candy and masks and money being spent, you aren’t for skimpy outfits and drinking and car crashes late in the night when teens drive themselves home, you’re not for bad and evil and scares. You keep the evil out. You bring people joy. And sure, for some people, joy is dressing up as your favorite TV show character or handing out candy bars to your neighborhood kids or drinking so much alcohol that you involuntarily take a power nap on the kitchen floor of a strangers house. But you keep the evil out. And that’s your true purpose.