The HALLOWEEN Weekend File - October 31, 2020

How Did Trick-Or-Treating Get Started?

The American Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating probably dates back to the early All Souls’ Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called “soul cakes” in return for their promise to pray for the family’s dead relatives.

The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as “going a-souling,” was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food and money.

The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry.

On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits.

On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter. This year we may be doing the same at my house so that no one has to come face to face for a candy transaction.  2020 is the worst. 

Happy Halloween everybody!

Legal Notes

• 10th Circuit Says Adverse Employment Action Not Required For Failure-To-Accomodate Case

  • The Tenth Circuit has published an important en banc decision holding that an adverse employment action is not a required element of a failure-to-accommodate claim under the ADA.

Weekend Readings & Entertainment

• Keith Jarrett Confronts a Future Without the Piano

  • The pathbreaking musician reveals the health issues that make it unlikely he will ever again perform in public. You can listen to Keith's music here.

• He’d Waited Decades to Argue His Innocence

  • An amazing and tragic story: Nelson Cruz’s family was so sure Judge ShawnDya Simpson would free him, they brought a change of clothes to his hearing. Then everything took an unexpected turn.
    Can justice ever be sorted out?

• To the Teacher Who Changed My Life

  • The wonderful John Dickerson writing for Slate.