The air is crisp, the leaves have turned bright shades of red and orange, and Halloween is upon us. Those of us too old to go door-to-door are contemplating staying in for a Halloween movie marathon with candy we had to buy ourselves or showing off fun costumes that will scare or delight our friends. Some costumes have no place in Halloween festivities, though. Instead of dressing as a classic witch or ghost, some use the ...

By the week of Halloween, most people have found their costumes, purchased candy for trick-or-treaters and established where the Oct. 31 partying will take place.The second-largest commercial holiday in the U.S. has had society smitten with the idea of spending a night as someone—or something—else for many decades. But the Halloween I know as a 21-year-old is very different from the one I knew as a child.Nonetheless, ...