Think about the last time you went trick-or-treating or maybe even dressed up. Must have been a while, right? Why don’t teenagers have fun, dress up and get candy anymore? This question revolves around more than just Halloween. What about other “childish” activities like going to the park or watching cartoons? Although most students are distancing themselves from these activities, there is still hope of keeping the tradition.
The most popular activity to do on Halloween is trick-or-treating, but the number of teenage participants has gradually decreased over the years. Nevertheless, there’s optimism as more teens are rediscovering the joy of trick-or-treating, ensuring the tradition remains lively for years to come.
Freshman Kaitlyn Vu shares her plans for the upcoming holiday.
“I go trick-or-treating with my family and this year I’m not sure what I want to dress up as but I will dress up—I make my costumes myself, getting inspiration from Google and I use fabric markers and stuff like that to make it,” Vu said.
Getting a costume for Halloween is not as common for teenagers as it is for children but it seems that students are still very excited to dress up.
Freshman Jadeline Estrada notes how she’s preparing her costume for Halloween.
“I want to be Camila from ‘A Bad Case of Stripes’, I will make the costume using body paint,” Estrada said.
Estrada’s enthusiasm for creating a unique costume reflects the imaginative spirit of Halloween, a time when many also indulge in the widespread tradition of watching horror movies across the country. From remakes to whole new concepts, watching horror movies has developed as a common Halloween season tradition. The movies “Halloween,” “Psycho,” “Nightmare on Elm Street,” and “Evil Dead” are very popular horror movies that have paved the way for horror movies today. Is this the tradition teenagers hold on to?
Vu shares her similar enthusiasm about this tradition.
“My favorite thing about Halloween is scary movies…I like the adrenaline, it keeps me going, my favorites are ‘Carrie’ and ‘The Shining,” Vu said.
Horror movies are not only a standalone activity, they can be enjoyed in a group with friends or family. Traditions of holidays are very crucial bonding moments that bring a family together. With teenagers increasingly stepping away from Halloween celebrations they can miss out on memories they won’t get back.
While some still cherish the thrill of horror movies and carving pumpkins, the excitement seems to be fading and being replaced by the world of social media and partying. As the years go by and Halloween evolves, it’s up to us to embrace the joy of these holidays.
