Halloween- short for All Hallows' Eve- is a celebration held in many Western countries based on Celtic harvest festivals (Samhain) or the Catholic tradition of remembering the departed (All Saints Day). Fun fact: A Celtic day begins and ends with sunset which is why celebrations begin in the evening of the 31st October.
Halloween can be a mixed bag of feelings for those on the spectrum. Some love it and some hate it. Here, in the UK it's not as celebrated as much as it is in the US but it has become increasingly popular over the years. It probably depends what you associate Halloween with- is it just a to time to dress up in scary costumes and watch horror movies or is it a time to celebrate the autumn season and people who have passed with parties, prayers and hues of cosy orange? There can be such a sensory issue with Halloween costumes, face paint and scary loud sounds. Some people get very anxious of people knocking on doors, trick or treating. Jump scares for pranks and Halloween parties can also become a social conundrum. On the other hand, some autistic people like the idea of dressing up and pretending to be someone else without judgement from others for a day.
Autistics who like Halloween may also prefer to stay at home and cosy up with hot soup and candles, while watching a Halloween Comedy. Crafting spooky decorations and carving pumpkins are great activities too or for the more more gaming inclined-even create creepy builds on Mindcraft or play horror puzzle games.
Happy Halloween!
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