samhainophobia

/ˌsɑʊwɪnəˈfoʊbiə/

If the idea of trick-or-treating sends chills down your spine, and you'd much rather stay home at watch TV,you may have samhainophobia! It's a scary-sounding word that simply means "a fear of Halloween."

Plenty of people find Halloween spooky; it's inevitable, with all the ghosts and monsters wandering around in the dark. For some, this apprehension takes a more serious turn, becoming a true phobia, or intense, irrational fear. Someone with samhainophobia, which is named for the ancient Celtic festival samhain, might feel so much anxiety at the sight of a jack-o-lantern or pointy-hatted witch that they can hardly breathe. This condition is usually caused by a traumatic event connected with the holiday.

Definitions of samhainophobia

1. noun

   the fear of Halloween