Pumpkins themselves are of North American origin, and have been growing there for 5,000 years. In 1584 a French explorer, Jacques Cartier, found what he called "gros melons" in the St. Lawrence region. The English modified the name to "pompions," which later became "pumpkins." Pumpkin carving is derived from the practice of putting a candle within a hollowed out turnip to ward off evil spirits combined with the Irish story of Jack and the devil.

The early 20th century saw the start of the familiar version of Halloween as it is now observed, with postcards, decorations, and figurines, although it was still primary a holiday practiced by adults. It wasn't until after World War II that mass-produced costumes and huge candy sales joined the holiday. In the post-war prosperity and suburban boom, Halloween flourished as a children's holiday that retained only traces of its origins.

In America, pop culture played a strong role in popularizing Halloween, and carrying the modern American Halloween customs to other countries. Orson Welles' terrifying mock radio broadcast, The War of the Worlds, aired on October 30, 1938 in honor of Halloween. Although the broadcast stated the events were not true, many missed the announcement. While it did not in fact tip off a full nationwide panic as is commonly believed, it certainly alarmed great numbers of people.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, the famous "Peanuts" special, first aired on CBS on October 27, 1966. It has rerun almost every year since, and is as deeply a part of Halloween as the traditions the film depicts. The Great Pumpkin is a snapshot of an American suburban Halloween, with trick-or-treating, apple-bobbing, costume parties, and pumpkin carving. Of all the children, Linus seems the only one sensitive to the Celtic origins of Halloween. The Great Pumpkin, who chooses the most "sincere" pumpkin patch to rise from, can be read as a nod to harvest celebrations, some sort of harvest god. The tone is innocent; in all the "Peanuts" works there are no adults.

The 1960's and early 70's were a time of social unrest and upheavel. As the baby boomers came of age and questioned the culture they had been raised within, so popular culture shifted towards telling scary stories more appropriate for adults and older teens than children, reflecting the shift of the holiday from a children-only club. Rumors of razor blades in apples began to arise starting in the 1960's, further restricting children's activities.

Alfred Hitchock's Psycho came out in 1960, but the start of "slasher" movies really began with films such as Tobe Hooper's Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 1974 and John Carpenter's Halloween in 1978. Both of these helped kick start the heyday of horror films in the 1980's such as Friday the 13th and the Nightmare on Elm Street series. Such films tap into the thrill of being scared, as well as fears of mortality. Horror movies offer their own kind of comfort as the viewer "survives" watching the film, while countless characters die onscreen.

In 1982, Steven Spielberg's movie E.T.

also captured a snapshot of contemporary Halloween and like The Great Pumpkin, provided images almost as well known as the traditions themselves. As in The Great Pumpkin, Halloween in E.T. has an innocent mood. Adults are present and play a big role, however. Elliott's mother is shown in costume for a Halloween party. A mysterious government agency looking for the alien comes across as the terrifying threat, not the alien himself or the bloody or frightening costumes the children wear. Halloween is presented as a night of fun for children, and even provides a haven as the use of costumes allows Elliott to conceal his alien friend. Grownups share in the fun, but as in The Great Pumpkin, the children rule for the night.

Halloween entertainment isn't just limited to television and movies. In New York City, the Village Halloween Parade is a major event. It started in 1973 with just a few hundred people, the concept of a local puppeteer. It has since grown; latest statistics put the costumed participants count at 50,000 and spectators in the millions. It is covered by the media nationwide and worldwide. The gay community in particular has embraced the parade as a chance to openly express their identity. Costuming, for anyone, is a chance for creative expression, role playing, trying out different identities, or to challenge what scares us by dressing up as monsters of all kinds and definitions. Satire and political expression plays a role as well; at the Village Parade, and elsewhere, at Halloween there are always a number of politically-themed costumes.

The holiday continues to struggle with cultural and political forces. In 1950 the Senate Judiciary Committee tried to rename Halloween "Youth Honor Day" in order to counteract the rash of destructive pranks. Even something as benevolent as UNICEF came under suspicion. UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, was founded in 1950 to aid children in poverty. But one urban legend holds that in the paranoia of the Cold War, some schools banned the ubiquitous UNICEF boxes as a communist plot. In recent years, some communities leery of the pagan undertones have banned the word "Halloween" in schools and public spaces, instead using "Harvestfest" (which ironically states the holiday's pagan origins outright).

In the "Peanuts" special, Linus' normally crabby big sister Lucy teases and scolds him for his choice to stay in his pumpkin patch because, she says, he'll miss out on the fun. One sibling looks to the familiar rituals of their culture, the other wonders what lies behind them, and ends up inventing, or reclaiming, his own.

Meanwhile, Snoopy, ever the maverick, goes far beyond trick-or-treating. He not only gets into costume as the World War I flying ace, but indulges in some role playing. Violet holds a Halloween party complete with pumpkin carving and bobbing for apples. Pig Pen hopes his ghost costume will conceal his identity, but it destined for disappointment. The characters each get something different out of Halloween, celebrating as they see fit.

Halloween, with its blend of many different customs, is not only the chance to be whatever you want, it becomes whatever you want it to be.