The Onion Halloween

Has Halloween Become Overcommercialized is a new video from The Onion, in which a panel from the Onion News Network (established 1896) discusses how sad it is that children no longer understand the true meaning of Halloween.

• Americans have totally forgotten what Halloween is about: appeasing evil spirits to ward off sickness and insure a bountiful harvest—Leslie Hillerman, Columnist, The Wall Street Journal

• My nephew didn't even know that Halloween is to protect his virgin spirit from the wretched dead that roam the earth one night a year to steal souls—Lauralee Hickcok, Southern Lifestyles Section

• Frightening away demons is the reason for the season!—Lauralee Hickcok

• In my day, everyone would throw the bones of their slaughtered livestock into the communal bonfire.—Leslie Hillerman.

• In our town, we don't even erect an altar where we can torture animals as a warning to the spectral realm! Someone complained about the howling.—Lauralee Hickcok

• Not everyone literally believes that phantoms will come and replace their fields will rocks and put a blight upon their house—Duncan Birch, author of "Hallowhy?"

• A recent poll of American fifth-graders found that 63% could identify the cartoon character Jack Skellington while only 14% could identify Algol, the Ghoul that Dwells in Burial Grounds.—Gregory Dawson, of the Dawson Angle

• The Onion: Has Halloween Become Overcommercialized? (Time: 3:06)

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  In The Know: Has Halloween Become Overcommercialized?