The Halloween Tree

by Ray Bradbury

A group of eight boys set out to go Ancient Roman cultures, Celtic Druidism, the Notre Dame Cathedral in Medieval Paris, and The Day of the Dead in Mexico. Along the way, they learn the origins of the holiday that they celebrate, and the role that the fear of death, ghosts, and the haunts has played in shaping civilization. The Halloween Tree itself, with its many branches laden with [[jack-o'-lantern]]s, serves as a metaphor for the historical confluence of these traditions.