Halloween: The Time Between [audio 28 minutes 29 seconds]

Put on your scariest costume and go trick-or-treating again in this portrait of the personal--and cultural--meanings of Halloween. Derived from ancient beliefs about the the dangers of times of transition--the end of October marks the time between the summer and winter seasons,between earth's time of life and death--and this is the theme of the holiday. Incorporating Celtic rituals with Catholic ones, involving the dead coming back to possess the spirit of the living, and the living trying to hide or scare the spirits away, the modern American holiday has developed its own set of strange rituals. Hear a myriad of voices tell about their memories of Halloween--the tricks, but especially the treats.

[Needs ReaPlayer to listen, provides download]