It's sad that Halloween has moved so far from the origins of the festival in Ireland and Scotland. Yes it has always involved the tension between our world and whatever spirits there may be in another world, but it was never all about evil, and certainly not about zombies etc. It was a time when people believed communication with the spirits was possible, but that did not have to be horrible. There was also a lot of fortune telling and divination at that time of year and predictions for the year ahead, as people marked the end of the productive year. Children received gifts of nuts and apples to lessen the anxiety about the lean winter days to come.
I like the genuine Halloween traditions but I cannot abide the ghoulish nonsense (and the sugar laden junk food) that dominate these days.