in reply to the requisite inquiry about costume, he said
"i don't celebrate halloween. it's a pagan holiday."

to which i burst out laughing, "they're all pagan holidays, peter. just with this one, the witches aren't dressed up as bunnies and big fat men."

the year certainly has turned, though, and the fading light makes appropriate the hailing of death before rebirth. it requires not much imagination to see why the celts would have marked this day as the true ending of the summer year, and paid their homage to the crone and all of her darknesses.

merry samhain, and may your harvests hold you 'till spring.