I wanted to take the time to reiterate that Halloween is not an evil holiday despite what Jack Chick or some of the mainstream media might say. In an effort to try to promote that message an organization called Halloween Army was formed to encourage the spreading of a positive message about Halloween. Anyone who has read my blog knows that I feel it is important to help create fun and positive Halloween memories for children. I have this belief for two reasons. 1) The holiday was created for children as a reaction to mischief nights that occurred in the first half of the 20th Century. Children need this one day a year where "acting out" is okay. In a society where children are being faced with, and being asked to make adult decisions earlier and earlier it is important to still have this child focused holiday. 2)Children who have positive experiences with Halloween grow-up to be adults who have positive views about Halloween. I try to do my part each year with my Halloween display. Based on the reactions I get from the kids each year once I start setting it up I think it is working. Since I doubt there are any young ones who read this site, my message today is meant for adults. The best way that I know how to do that is to share the high level history of Halloween published by Halloween Army. The below information has been republished with permission

For those of you not familiar with the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest it ask contestants to compose a bad opening to a story involving "it was a dark and stormy night." As always I forgot to submit my entry since I don't think about it until around Halloween. I've always found it a little odd that the deadline is April 15th. Since I don't have an official entry to show you I offer you this short story that begins with this oh so trite phrase instead. Click on through to read this horrifying (as in bad) story.

A year ago I made a post explaining why I put up such a big Halloween display each year. I explained that I am not a Satanist, that it does take considerable time to put up my display each year, and that at the end of the day I put up my display because I want to create memories for the neighborhood kids. However, I find that along with other people I am asking myself the question of why I do it. Before I address that I want to talk about the number one question I have been asked this year: What does your wife think about all this?