It’s that time of year again: the days are getting shorter, Starbucks is selling pumpkin spice lattes again, and the leaves have shifted into a brilliant collage of red and orange. That’s right, autumn has finally arrived, and with the changing of the seasons comes one of the most anticipated and spookiest days of the year…Halloween!
Unbeknownst to many people, Halloween or All-Hallow’s Eve’s roots can be traced all the way back to ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly Samhain, which would eventually be Christianized by the early Church. Early traditions of Samhain include wearing costumes and lighting bonfires to ward off evil spirits which have greatly influenced Halloween that we know and love today. In modern times, common practices also entail carving jack-o’-lanterns, visiting haunted attractions, and, of course, trick-or-treating.
While Halloween’s origins are tied to religion, in modern times it is celebrated all around the U.S. and is anticipated by many eager KO students such as sophomore Caroline Boardman. “My favorite part of Halloween is being able to stay at home and give out candy to the cute little kids,” Caroline said. “The best costume that I’ve seen so far would probably be my neighbor dressed up as a mini Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.”
Some students such as junior Jaden Weinstein look forward to spending the night with friends. “The best part of Halloween is that it’s a reason to get together with friends and really spend a night together having fun and relaxing,” Jaden said. He also said that he looks forward to eating all the leftover Halloween candy with his friends.
To the disappointment of many excited students and children nationwide, this year’s Halloween falls on a weekday, providing them with the extra burden of homework, unfortunately forcing them to go to bed at a reasonable time. It’s especially difficult for students who would like to go trick-or-treating with their younger siblings but must remain home.
While sophomore Olivia Reynolds no longer trick-or-treats, she still enjoys making her own costumes with her friends. “I also definitely look forward to seeing all of my neighbor’s creativity shown through their costumes on Halloween,” Olivia said. This year, Olivia and her younger sister will dress up as Ghostbusters with proton packs and all the essential equipment.
In the spirit of Halloween (pun intended), some students such as junior Braeden Flowers said they love the thrill of watching horror movies on Halloween. “While I don’t exactly have a favorite horror movie,” Braeden noted, “I prefer movies with more jumpscares such as ‘The Conjuring.’” Braeden also added that the rush of watching scary movies is perfect to get into the mood for Halloween.
So whether you’ll watch scary movies, go trick-or-treating, or even stay at home to catch up on homework, stay safe and just as importantly, stay spooky!
