No One’s Going To Murder Your Cat Today

Halloween May Feel Sinister, But That’s Mostly Because of Untrue Stories

Depending on whether you tune in for The Walking Dead or prefer the antics of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, you’ll find Halloween’s imagery either devilish or delightful. For all the pumpkins and fun, Halloween also has a reputation as “The Devil’s Birthday,” a night when innocent trick-or-treaters fall prey to anonymous psychos, and bad guys come out to play. But is that fair?

Halloween began life as a Celtic holiday called “Samhain” (pronounced “sow-in”), celebrated on the eve of October 31. It was one of the two biggest celebrations of …