Why do we celebrate Halloween?

Everyone loves Halloween, right? But it's also kind of ... random. Why do we dress up in costumes? And hand out candy? Why October 31? And what makes clowns so scary? In this special edition of the newsletter, science has some answers.

Why does this holiday exist anyway?

Halloween traces back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when the Celts celebrated the end of the harvest season — which caused some of them to worry the boundary between life and death was starting to blur. (The Celts, it turns out, were the anxious type.) It falls on October 31 because that date has long been viewed as a "mystic, thin-veil night" in pagan and Christian cosmology. (Which might explain some of the inappropriately revealing 'thin-veil' costumes you will see tonight.) The Jack‑O’-Lantern derives from an Irish myth about “Stingy Jack” who tricked the devil and was condemned to wander with a carved turnip lantern (an odd punishment). When Irish immigrants arrived in the U.S., they found pumpkins more plentiful than turnips, and the carved pumpkin was born.

Okay, but what's up with the costumes and candy?

Dressing in costumes and giving away candy became popular in the 1930s, during the Great Depression, when communities were looking for inexpensive ways to cheer up their kids. By the 1950s, corporations (particularly Disney) saw a goldmine and started mass-producing costumes that looked like characters such as Mickey Mouse. Some researchers say the phrase "trick or treat" derives from medieval “souling”, where the poor collected soul‑cakes in return for prayers. But a more credible explanation is that young children and gangsters have something in common: They both know how to use threats to make you pay. (Polling shows the most popular candy is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. To which I say: Obviously.)

That makes sense. But the clowns thing, that's weird. Why are clowns so scary?

A fear of clowns exists in many cultures. Research indicates that's because clowns look almost human but are slightly distorted — and it's likely early humans evolved an instinct to be wary of figures that are slightly distorted by violence or disease, as they might pose a risk. Also, clowns are perpetually grinning — which, paradoxically, triggers distrust. That said, sometimes we like being scared: When we're frightened in a safe environment, our amygdala activates, releasing adrenaline and dopamine and endorphins once the danger seems over. The key is finding a 'safe threat': Field studies find that enjoyment of fear follows an inverted‑U‑shaped relationship: If a threat is too predictable, we start to feel bored. (People who walk down dark hallways in horror movies deserve what they get.) But if a threat is too unpredictable, it causes genuine distress. (Everyone hates that guy who unexpectedly grabs you in a haunted house.) The sweet spot is moderate fear: A sudden loud noise, or someone jumping out (but not grabbing you) that, if you're being honest, you've been anticipating the entire time. (This explains why fear is more common when we're young: We're less adept at anticipating scares, and so when they happen, they catch us off-guard. One in four college students told researchers they still experienced lingering effects from watching frightening films or TV as children.)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

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