WHILE understanding the concerns of Dino Christodoulou (Letters, November 5) about 'dangers' of celebrating Hallowe'en in primary schools, I think if schools want to celebrate Hallowe'en they should.

Hallowe'en is a part of our heritage, being based on the ancient festival of Samhain (pronounced Sow'en) - the Celtic New Year - when whole communities celebrated together. It was never meant to be a celebration of evil - quite the opposite in fact.

As well as lighting fires against the advancing cold and darkness, generally having fun, and dressing up to scare off any bad spirits lurking around, for Celtic folk, it was very much a holy time of contemplation - a time to honour their ancestors and to remember all those who had died: a sacred time.

The 'spooky' bits of Hallowe'en now are simply a reminder that our ancestors and strong belief in forces of good and evil. They thought it wise to 'ward off' evil (hence the masks and lanterns). This idea is not so far removed from Christian belief, which teaches that people have consciences so they can recognise right and reject wrong.

Children shouldn't be denied the fun and creative stimulus of Hallowe'en - and to suppress it would be all the more likely to make it a possible 'danger' later. 'Occult,' after all, means 'hidden.'

Instead, shouldn't children be told what Hallowe'en is really all about and encouraged to discover the links between their own and other cultures, past and present - so they can enjoy this piece of their heritage in an enlightened way?

ROSE MARSDEN, Ribble Lane, Chatburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.