Happy HallOMween

Happy HallOMween

BY CATHERINE CHIDIAC

 

Halloween is one of the most widely celebrated events of the year. It is usually celebrated on the 31st of October, which marks the eve of “All Hallows Day” (an ancient western Christian feast).

Halloween begins with a three-day observance dedicated to remembering those who have died including; martyrs, saints and the faithfully departed. It was originally an ancient Celtics harvest festival, but was later Christianized in the 835 AD.

 

It is a feast that recently only arrived in the Middle East and  despite people skepticism, it is a day when kids and adults,  both have fun by dressing up, by dancing and by sharing treats .

 

 Now lets get a closer look on how Halloween and dressing up is related to wellness :

 

-Start with Social and emotional skill development

 

During the few days of Halloween celebration children have to develop strategies during trick or treating. “How can they get the most out of it ” Trick or treating always leaves memorable and precious moments in the hearts of your child, and is an excellent opportunity for parents to know the emotional capabilities of their children.

Communicating with other kids and adults helps in the development of feelings and building self-esteem. It helps the child learn how to work with others in society.

 

-Halloween gives a child strength and erases fear towards characters that might have haunted him previously .

 

It helps a child overcome his fear of scary characters and instead of being haunted by them he takes them in a playful way .

Zombies, monsters and ghosts become funny rather the scary and take a cartoonish turn .

 

-Indulgence for only a day can be mentally healthy in a Childs mind !

  

-Dressing up stimulates creativity and imagination.

 

Crafting a costume, envisioning a character, and bringing it to life are all exercises in creative thinking. This process not only offers an outlet for artistic expression but also nurtures problem-solving skills and innovative thinking.

 

-Finally, celebrating Halloween can pull us out of fear and anxiety and enable us to look at the world more positively. It is through this mental shift that we can start appreciating things around us.

And even if they look ugly, or act weirdly, we learn how to see the best in them !

Catherine Chidiac