Halloween conjures up a nostalgic, childlike atmosphere like no other holiday

By Parisa Burton
Opinion editor

Halloween has been around for over a thousand years and its roots go back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, a pagan religious festival that marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter.

It was celebrated on November 1st every year, but celebrations began the evening before. People believed that the souls of the dead returned home on this day, and therefore started the tradition of dressing up in costumes and lighting bonfires to keep evil spirits away.

Many people are unaware of the holiday’s religious origins, and today it is simply a fun occasion for children to dress up with their friends and collect free candy from strangers.

However, the magic of Halloween is not just reserved for children. Teens and adults also take part in this holiday and enjoy dressing up as their favorite fictional characters, celebrities or supernatural beings.

The only difference is that adults typically don’t trick-or-treat. Instead, they celebrate by hosting or attending costume parties, going to nightclubs, enjoying parades, and exploring themed attractions like haunted houses and hayrides.

As a child, every Halloween felt like a ticking clock as I counted down the years before trick-or-treating was considered too “childish” for my age. I was afraid that I would never feel the same joy and creativity as I did when dressing up again. Luckily I was wrong.

I think most adults can agree that Halloween feels like a much-needed break from reality and a rare opportunity to let off steam with friends. As a college student, the anticipation of Halloween at the end of October serves as motivation for me to push through every test, essay, and homework assignment, knowing that a fun reward awaits me at the end of the month.

Even Christmas doesn’t spark the same excitement as childhood. After the heartbreaking realization that Santa Claus doesn’t exist and the dwindling number of presents under the tree each year, the holiday serves as a bittersweet reminder of growing up.

Halloween, on the other hand, feels like a timeless holiday that allows us to express our personalities and interests through our choice of costumes. It encourages creativity as we combine different clothing elements to achieve our vision.

When I was younger I didn’t have the same creative imagination and freedom that I do now. My parents bought every cute costume they thought would suit me from our local Halloween stores. When I was 11 I had to wear a horse costume because I was obsessed with the animal at the time. However, looking back, it’s just embarrassing.

Today, I avoid store-bought costumes and strive for originality by using pieces I already own or purchasing unique items at thrift stores or online. Last year, while studying abroad in Milan, I had the opportunity to embody three different characters – the Bratz doll Jade, Draculaura from Monster High and a leopard.

In Milan, Halloween wasn’t as big of a deal as it was in the US, which made finding a costume a challenge. Luckily, I started my search early and found pieces at various sustainable stores, flea markets and last minute accessories from Claire’s.

The treasure hunt-like aspect is my favorite part of Halloween because it fills me with pure nostalgic bliss and inspires childlike excitement and curiosity. Although Halloween celebrations look different now and it’s not socially acceptable to go trick-or-treating, I maintain that celebrating Halloween is even more fun as an adult.

Not only do we have the freedom to choose our own outfits, but we also have no bedtime, allowing us to temporarily let go of our responsibilities and trade the sugar rush we once got from eating too much candy for a feeling of care -free joy.