The White House is lit in orange as US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host Halloween celebrations in Washington, DC, on October 31, 2009. Witches, beware. Mummies, be gone. Halloween may be a celebration of all things creepy and macabre, but a growing number of US communities are shunning traditional ghoulish festivities, seen by some as tainted by association with paganism and the occult. Getty Images logo Getty Images 1 month ago

The White House is lit in orange as US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host Halloween celebrations in Washington, DC, on October 31, 2009. Witches, beware. Mummies, be gone. Halloween may be a celebration of all things creepy and macabre, but a growing number of US communities are shunning traditional ghoulish festivities, seen by some as tainted by association with paganism and the occult.

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  1. WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 02: U.S. first lady Michelle Obama speaks as Marine Corps Lieutenant General Peter Osman (Ret.) (R), President and CEO of the Toys for Tots program, listens during the media preview of the White House holiday decorations December 2, 2009 at the White House in Washington, DC. The theme for the 2009 White House holiday decorations is 'Reflect Rejoice Renew.'
  2. WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 02: U.S. first lady Michelle Obama speaks during the media preview of the White House holiday decorations December 2, 2009 at the White House in Washington, DC. The theme for the 2009 White House holiday decorations is 'Reflect Rejoice Renew.'
  3. WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 02: U.S. first lady Michelle Obama speaks as Marine Corps Lieutenant General Peter Osman (Ret.) (R), President and CEO of the Toys for Tots program, listens during the media preview of the White House holiday decorations December 2, 2009 at the White House in Washington, DC. The theme for the 2009 White House holiday decorations is 'Reflect Rejoice Renew.'
  4. WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 27: First lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia welcome Eric and Gloria Sundback (L), who donated the official White House Christmas Tree, at the North Portico of the White House on November 27, 2009 in Washington, DC. The 18 and a half foot Douglas fir will stand in the Blue Room throughout the holidays.
  5. WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 27: First lady Michelle Obama welcomes the White House Christmas Tree at the North Portico of the White House on November 27, 2009 in Washington, DC. The 18 and a half foot Douglas fir was donated by Eric and Gloria Sundback of Shepherdstown, West Virginia; the tree will stand in the Blue Room throughout the holidays.
  6. WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 27: First lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia welcomes the White House Christmas Tree at the North Portico of the White House on November 27, 2009 in Washington, DC. The 18 and a half foot Douglas fir was donated by Eric and Gloria Sundback (L) of Shepherdstown, West Virginia; the tree will stand in the Blue Room throughout the holidays.
  7. U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (L) greets U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ)(2nd L), House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)(2nd R) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) after a meeting between Congressional leadership and President Barack Obama on Afghanistan and Pakistan at the White House in Washington, October 6, 2009.
  8. L-R: House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-OH, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-MD, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, and Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member John McCain walk on a path on the North Lawn of the White House following a meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan with US President Barack Obama October 6, 2009 in Washington, DC.
  9. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, speaks to reporters as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV, looks on in front of the West Wing after a meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan with US President Barack Obama October 6, 2009 at the White House in Washington, DC. Obama Tuesday sat down with senior lawmakers driving a raging debate on US Afghan strategy, as he works towards a decision on whether to send thousands more troops to war. Democratic and Republican leaders plus top members of key congressional committees met the president at the White House touting sharply conflicting visions of the next steps in the unpopular eight-year US military operation. Obama is methodically working through an internal policy review after US commander General Stanley McChrystal warned the war could be lost within a year without more troops, and reportedly asked for 40,000 more men.
  10. House Minority Leader John Boehner (C), R-OH, chats with Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member John McCain (L), R-AZ, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, near the West Wing after a meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan with US President Barack Obama October 6, 2009 at the White House in Washington, DC. Obama Tuesday sat down with senior lawmakers driving a raging debate on US Afghan strategy, as he works towards a decision on whether to send thousands more troops to war. Democratic and Republican leaders plus top members of key congressional committees met the president at the White House touting sharply conflicting visions of the next steps in the unpopular eight-year US military operation. Obama is methodically working through an internal policy review after US commander General Stanley McChrystal warned the war could be lost within a year without more troops, and reportedly asked for 40,000 more men.
  11. WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 06: U.S Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (R) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) (L) walk away from reporters after talking outside the White House following a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama along with other members of Congress October 6, 2009 in Washington, DC. Obama met with Congressional leadership and the chairs and ranking members of the relevant committees to discuss planning for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
  12. U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) speak about their meeting between Congressional leadership and President Barack Obama on Afghanistan and Pakistan at the White House in Washington, October 6, 2009.
  13. Indonesian activists wear masks featuring US President Barrack Obama (L), Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (2nd L), President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso(2nd R) and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd during a protest against biodiversity offset programs, in Jakarta on November 18, 2009. Scores of environment activists held a protest against the program of biodiversity offset as they believed that biodiversity offsets are conservation activities intended to compensate for the residual, unavoidable harm to biodiversity caused by development projects, and is not the real solution and will ruin ecological dignity of developing countries.
  14. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: In this photo illustration, a copy of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' sits on end on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  15. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Gary Haynes (R) and Matt Cross (L) open boxes of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' as other books sit on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  16. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Matt Cross (R) puts copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.

Recent Photos From The Wire

  1. People attend the funeral of Abdul Farooq, one of four policemen killed by a roadside bomb, in Herat, western Afghanistan, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. Four Afghan police officers were killed by a roadside bomb in western Afghanistan, the latest in a string of deadly attacks against the country's embattled police force, government officials said Wednesday.
  2. A British Airways plane comes in to land at Heathrow Airport in London, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. British Airways PLC and union leaders agreed to meet Wednesday for emergency talks as the airline attempts to avert a 12-day strike by cabin crew staff over Christmas.
  3. Auckland City's Daniel Koprivcic, right, is challenged by Bawaka Mabele of TP Mazembe during their Club World Cup soccer match in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
  4. People attend the funeral of Abdul Farooq, one of four policemen killed by a roadside bomb, in Herat, western Afghanistan, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. Four Afghan police officers were killed by a roadside bomb in western Afghanistan, the latest in a string of deadly attacks against the country's embattled police force, government officials said Wednesday.
  5. Mexican referee Benito Archundia, right, shows a red card to goalkeeper Muteba Kidiaba of TP Mazembe of Congo during a Club World Cup soccer match against Auckland City in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009.
  6. A British Airways plane comes in to land at Heathrow Airport in London, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. British Airways PLC and union leaders agreed to meet Wednesday for emergency talks as the airline attempts to avert a 12-day strike by cabin crew staff over Christmas.
  7. Bolivian President Evo Morales waves during a press conference at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, December 16, 2009 on the10th day of the COP15 UN Climate Change Conference.
  8. Bolivian President Evo Morales gestures during a press conference at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, December 16, 2009 on the10th day of the COP15 UN Climate Change Conference.
  9. Relatives mourn during the funeral ceremony for Necmi Oral in the south-eastern Turkish town of Mus December 16, 2009. Two Kurds protesting against the closure of a pro-Kurdish party were shot dead and seven were wounded on Tuesday when shopkeepers attacked them in the south-eastern Turkish town of Mus, security officials said.
  10. Didier Cuche of Switzerland skis in the first training session of the Val Gardena men's downhill on the Saslong slope in Val Gardena December 16, 2009.
  11. NEWBURY, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 16: Andrew Tinkler and Far More Serious (2R) clear the 7th fence before going on to win The Hamilton Rentals Novices' Steeple Chase Race run at Newbury Racecourse on December 16, 2009 in Newbury, England.
  12. COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - DECEMBER 16: Protestors attempt to break through police lines outside the Bella Centre where the UN climate summit is taking place on December 16, 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Hundreds of climate demonstrators marched to the summit venue to show there anger over the slow progress towards a climate deal by world leaders.
  13. LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 16: A deer stands in the snow in Richmond Park on December 16, 2009 in London, England. A cold weather front is due to bring snow to parts of the country today with temperatures falling to as little as -4C according to the Met office. Heavier snow is expected in the capital towards the end of the weeek.
  14. LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 16: A deer stands in the snow in Richmond Park on December 16, 2009 in London, England. A cold weather front is due to bring snow to parts of the country today with temperatures falling to as little as -4C according to the Met office. Heavier snow is expected in the capital towards the end of the weeek.
  15. COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - DECEMBER 16: Protestors attempt to break through police lines outside the Bella Centre where the UN climate summit is taking place on December 16, 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Hundreds of climate demonstrators marched to the summit venue to show there anger over the slow progress towards a climate deal by world leaders.
  16. LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 16: A deer stands in the snow in Richmond Park on December 16, 2009 in London, England. A cold weather front is due to bring snow to parts of the country today with temperatures falling to as little as -4C according to the Met office. Heavier snow is expected in the capital towards the end of the weeek.