Halloween Comes Back

The Harvest Festival was going to be on what Halloween used to be-October 31. Instead of jack o'lanterns, there were pumpkins.Instead of festive Halloween punch, there was apple cider. There were booth games instead of haunted houses. No Monster Mash played over the speakers, it was all polka music.
There was not a ghost skeleton, monster, or witch in sight.

Once upon a time Halloween existed in this town, all bright and festive and scary and fun. There were those who used the time around Halloween to remember passed loved ones and there were those who realized that life and death were two sides of the same coin, and celebrated this time of year in realizing that.
Many people in the town had encounters or experiences with ghosts that they shared with their friends or around campfires. Those that experienced such things could never go back to not believing again because the experience was real and when something is real you can't pretend it's not.
But more and more those in charge in the town didn't think it was right to celebrate Halloween, even though the air was full of spirits and the earth was giving its signal of transition with falling leaves, browning grass and cool, blustery winds.
Most people wanted Halloween to be what it used to be but they were oppressed. Especially a lady who lived in the town named Bessie.
She was what most people in the town would call a witch. She dispensed folk remedies and herbal advice. She was deemed not a Christian but she was not un-Christian either. In fact she was kinder than most people who stepped foot in the local church on Sunday.

Bessie had gotten tired of the hypocrisy and gave up. She went to live on a tropical island where people didn't condemn you for thinking outside the box.
A friend of Bessie's who lived in the town came to visit her. She missed Bessie and wanted her to come back but she said no, she couldn't stand it there anymore.
Bessie's friend left a few days later, disappointed that she couldn't change her mind.

The Harvest Festival carried on as it did before in the same way. And anyone in costume or Halloween-y clothes was sent home.
That's why it was a surprise when a woman dressed as a witch showed up, proclaiming,"The Witch is back and there's hell to pay."
Everyone gasped when they realized it was Bessie. She had decided to return and take Halloween back. Some people left and returned wearing costumes. Some brought Halloween decorations with them. There were so many of them now wanting to celebrate Halloween that the others were outnumbered.
Soon it became clear there was no choice for the narrow-minded leaders of the town to accept that Halloween was back. And not too long after those leaders were voted out of office by Halloween lovers-who transformed the town into the warm, fun welcoming place that makes you want to stay there.