Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Trick or Treat?

I cannot believe that fall is here and the holidays are fast approaching.  As a kid, Halloween was one of my favorite holidays and signaled to me that Thanksgiving break was not far off.  I couldn’t wait to pick out a costume and go trick or treating.  Today, Halloween is one of the biggest commercial holidays in the USA. It is estimated that over 150 million Americans celebrate Halloween in some form or fashion.  Of course, a good portion of those 150 million people are the kids going door to door for candy and treats.

According to Wikipedia, the practice of dressing up in costumes and going door to door for treats on Halloween dates back to the Middle Ages.  Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when folks would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food and treats in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls' Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain   although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. 

I am sure that most of us were not even aware of the origin of this day.  However, it is a fun day for most kids and many adults too!  At the hotel, we usually see a decline in occupancy on October 31st, since so many parents want to be home with their kids for the trick or treating and costume parties.  So enjoy Halloween and for those guests that are checking into the hotel on October 31st I will make sure we have plenty of candy and treats for each of you!

Be well and more to come soon!

Michael D’Amodio