[ot-caption title=”Seniors Eliza Moldow and Alex Caldwell dressed up for Halloween at school as animals. via Ginger Hollander, senior)”]

Halloween: an annual holiday known for its spooky traditions, candy splurges, and decorative costumes. It signifies a time of the year in which children can roam the streets in eccentric outfits and cash out on candy. But does it really still stand for these harmless traditions?

Many can recall the scene in the movie Mean Girls when Cady shows up to a party on Halloween dressed as a gruesome zombie. She soon discovers that every other girl at the party, however, is dressed in meager clothing.  Although Cady is dressed appropriately for Halloween, she feels ostracized, as her peers have expressed themselves in a way that is commonplace in today’s modern society. A kid who once wore a terrifying ghoul costume may now be seen displaying a revealing outfit.  However, trick-or-treating in a public area filled with easily influenced little children can lead to unwanted consequences, so it is important to be conscientious of what we teach and present to the younger population.

In addition to a change in attire, the overall method of celebrating Halloween has changed for teenagers. Many teens feel that trick-or-treating is childish and instead celebrate the holiday by going to a Halloween party. They replace their juvenile worries about the lack of candy in their bag with teenage problems about how they look and where they’re going for the night. Although it is perfectly acceptable to hangout with friends and celebrate, high schoolers have left behind Halloween traditions of pumpkin picking and house decorating as a thing of the past.

As teens and kids grow older each year, it is interesting to see how they modify their Halloween traditions. Junior Noey Boldizsar nostalgically recalled the way she used to spend the holiday as a child. Noey stated, “I remember going trick-or-treating every year when I was younger, and it was always exciting because my neighbor would give out huge candy bars!” As sentimental as it may be to leave behind the trick-or-treating days, many students agree that this phase of their lives has come to a close.  But, as teens move away from trick or treating, younger kids take their place on the hunt for candy. No matter how people celebrate the holiday, the spirit of Halloween still lives on in kids, teens, and even adults as they get together with friends for a fun and memorable time.