Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski of Lodz enters the War on Halloween:
Parents and teachers should protect youngsters against its images of terror and dread, especially when many already associate it with the cult of Satan.
Halloween costume traditions aren’t all that old, not much more than a century. The “images of terror and dread” are part of the general scare tactics of the modern October 31st traditions.
It was actually the Church who, long before modern Halloween, wrote over the pagan new year celebrations with observances of All Saints and All Souls to usher in the month of November.
When my last parish did “Trunk or Treat,” I emphasized fun and gross with my car decorations. Pumpkin seeds and strings coming out of the jack-o-lantern’s nose. Chemicals to produce “vomit” coming out of the mouth. Flash powder and other fun and “scary” stuff.
Catholic Sensibility 
Great post, sad in a way.
Our grandsons’ parish school held their parade and carnival as SOP; I had the honor of em’ceeing the class costume parade as Braveheart’s chubby older brother Wally.
Anyway it was a true and fun celebration and me being me, got as many good Catholic principles and traditions into my repartee.
Driving home I passed two elementary schools in my former unified district employers’ control. No costumes, recesses with few kids on the playgrounds, one school had administrative staff in the middle of a huge soccer field with not a kid in sight during recess.
Two things: it’s great to be Catholic. It’s not great to see the USA emulating Albania,Romania and Cuba in their glorious collective pasts.