Halloween holds special meaning for many
While the arrival of autumn brings cooler temperatures and the changing of trees, it also brings on the annual summoning of the creatures from our most horrendous nightmares. It’s the time of the year when spooky skeletons, wicked witches, and armies of demons and the undead will take to the streets in search of their beloved prize: Halloween candy.
Although these monsters aren’t real, dawning costumes of all sorts and going door-to door for trick or treating has been a staple of the Halloween tradition for generations. Unfortunately, due to safety precautions, this Halloween is shaping up to be one of the saddest in years, as people stay home to avoid COVID exposure.
As this Halloween comes and goes, many will be recalling their favorite memories from the Halloweens of their past. For sophomore Mariana Trujillo, the holiday brings up a wholesome story about friendship.
“When I was in seventh grade,” Mariana said via text. “My good friend and I went trick or treating. We both went as witches; we stayed out until about eight, I know it’s a little early to go home, but we had other plans, so we walked back to her house. When we arrived, we ate like kings. We feasted on chicken and pasta, we drank gallon after gallon of soda, and to top it off, we devoured this tiny little Crème brûlée. My friend had made it earlier with the help of a Buzzfeed article: it was absolutely delectable. Our plan after that was to watch a scary movie, but our plans were quickly foiled. My parents were not too thrilled about the movies we were suggesting. It was so tiring having to text them over and over again: “hey can I watch this?”……………”no.” Eventually my friend suggested we watch Spiderwick, a nice, family-friendly film. I got my parents’ approval and we put it on. It was a fantastic movie, at least it probably was, I fell asleep. Overall it’s one of my favorite Halloween memories.”
Not every account of Halloween’s past is as wholesome, others like sophomore Wyatt Scaefer, celebrated by capturing the fearsome and scary spirit of the holiday.
“I would lay in the grass and pretend to be a decoration that had fallen over,” Wyatt said via text. “When a group of people walked by, I would jump up at them. Usually, they would scream and laugh, but sometimes they saw it coming.”
While some have specific fond memories or love the spookiness of the holiday, people like sophomore Milla Dopson love the general atmosphere and traditions that come this time of year.
“My favorite Halloween memories are that I get to go trick or treating and hang out with my friends,” Milla said via text. “What makes this time of the year special is that I can become someone I’m not and have fun doing it. I love being able to not only see the many creative costumes, but also getting an enormous amount of candy. The great part about Halloween is that no matter how old I get, I can still celebrate with my friends, which gets me excited for the fall season.”