Editor’s Note: SearchFuel is like trick or treating. You never know what you’re gonna get. In the spirit of Halloween, we decided to break away for a moment from search, mobile, social and industry discussions and dress SearchFuel up with with this post from one of our regular contributors.  Hope you have a wonderful and safe Halloween. You can find me in the pumpkin patch waiting for The Great Pumpkin. (After I stop by his desk and raid the candy jar, that is.)

Halloween.  What a holiday!  We aren’t celebrating the life or accomplishments of anyone, there is no major historical event that happened on October 31st, no celebration of a flag, no country gaining its independence, etc.  At one time, I’m sure you would have easily called it the scariest of holidays.  Nothing even comes in a close second.  Arbor Day? Cinco de Mayo?  Get real.  The Halloween holiday has its historical roots in pagan rituals, harvest celebrations and protection against the souls of the dead coming back to earth.  That was some freaky stuff to be “celebrating.”

Not anymore though.  Nope, Halloween is not really that scary.   How about this for self-administered therapy?  You get to dress up and pretend to be someone or something else. Plus, you get to flat out go door to door and beg for food (albeit candy), and people willingly give it to you.  I bet if you asked 100 people, half couldn’t tell you why we celebrate Halloween anymore (I’m not even completely sure I know and I looked it up).

According to the 2009 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, total spending on the holiday this year is expected to reach $4.75 billion, including $2.23 billion on candy alone.  That is not spending on bonfire materials to keep the evil spirits away.  That is buying little Buffy her princess costume and little Billy his ninja costume.  Halloween has become the informal holiday of the National Confectioners Association.

You want to know what is really scary?  Real life.  Remember all those evil spirits that needed to be staved off?  Well, we live with them.  You want trick or treat?  Well you don’t get a choice, there is a heck of a lot of trick and treat in this world.  I’m sure that you can make up your own lists for each.

This brings me back to candy.  Remember that $2.23 billion we’ll spend this year?  Candy is the great equalizer.  There is a soothing and unifying quality about it.  It is used as a nonverbal invitation to draw people in.  Whenever I have started a new job, my wife sends me off on my first day armed with a candy jar and a bag of chocolate to fill it.  “Candy is a sure way to make friends,” she says.  You know what?  She’s right.  Now two years into my job, I still have co-workers stop by because I have candy on my desk and I like it.

Is there a lesson to learn from this?  Would people be more receptive to requests if candy were to accompany it?  Include some Gummi Bears when I want to leave a little early for a round of golf?  Pass along jelly beans when I ask for that report by the end of the day?  Maybe a couple of chocolate bars escort that promotion and raise request?  Couldn’t hurt, could it?

Maybe we should celebrate Halloween more often.  The world has a lot of…stuff…going on in it right now.  What’s wrong with dressing up, asking someone for some free candy, telling a few cheesy jokes, having them laugh and gratefully give you that candy, and then eating enough sugar to put yourself into an altered state?

Stop on by.  We’ll open that candy jar, relax, and chat for a bit.  I hear the Butterfingers and Snickers are very fresh.

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