CORPORATE WATCH.

Byline: Amelia H. C. Ylagan

The celebration of Hallow E'en on October 31 first started in English 16th century. It is the evening (e'en in Olde English) before "All Hallows" or "Hallowmas" ("All Saints' Day"), November 1, the day to honor those souls who have attained beatific vision, as defined by Western Christian theology. Halloween is the symbolic witching hour when supernatural creatures such as witches, demons, and ghosts are thought to appear in jealous rivalry with the good souls.

That explains the ghosts and demons costumes for Halloween. Children usually wear scary masks and black capes or mimic gothic characters like witches and vampires. For their efforts, these tots carry pumpkin lanterns and pails to collect "treats" of candy and food from adults openly blackmailed in lieu of a naughty prank. That is the childhood "trick or treat" ritual at Halloween, universalized since about a decade ago by the …