Halloween hate is done to death
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When October hits, there is no better place to be than college. The festive Halloween aura of fright and freakiness captures the heart of any student willing to lean into the whimsical fun of the holiday. But some dissenting students may feel Halloween is a waste of time—a pointless ritual of flashy displays not worth the effort. It may seem this way on the outside, especially for those removed from the dominating party scene, but the holiday offers far more than just candy and costumes.
Halloween originates from the Celtic festival Samhain, meant to ward off evil spirits and promote a good harvest. Even the tradition of costumes can be traced back to Samhain. According to the Library of Congress, “In order to avoid being terrorized by all the evil spirits walking the Earth during Samhain, the Celts donned disguises in order to confuse the spirits and be left alone.”
Costumes are undeniably a key part of Halloween, but there is no doctrine forcing anyone to dress themselves up. You have the freedom to approach it however you like. As college students, the price of an Amazon order for a one-off costume might not seduce you, but that is where creativity comes in. Dive into your closet, stop by Goodwill, and cook up the craziest look you have ever had—there are no limits to what you can do. Look as cute or as weird as you want. The fun lies in the different approaches, and none of them mean you have to empty your wallet or spend hours on a one-time outfit. There are plenty of simpler costumes you can whip up in an instant.
Maybe costumes are not your thing. Lucky for you, the culture of Halloween extends far beyond a fun outfit. One of the most popular modern Halloween traditions is the horror movie. Horror movies are a great opportunity to get your friends together and safely experience some frights, even offering some neurochemical benefits. Low-stakes experiences like this can offer a positive outlet for the constant stress of college life. And, understandably, it may not be your cup of tea. Luckily, not all Halloween movies are pure horror. The horror-comedy is an untapped gold mine, and some classics like The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) certainly get you in the spooky mood without making you jump out of your seat.
Similarly, the general aesthetic of Halloween embraces some grim and darker aspects of humanity, one of the centerpieces being death. The holiday shines a spotlight on a topic we tend to desperately avoid. But sometimes, it is important to consider our mortality. Halloween offers a safe platform to engage with this intimidating aspect of humanity. It almost serves as a celebration for death, especially with the amount of traditional Halloween monsters concerning immortality or resurrection—zombies, vampires, Frankenstein’s creation.
On a lighter note, Halloween sets the stage for fall to really flourish. So many fall traditions exist in tandem with Halloween. Pumpkins and cider pop up everywhere in October while the trees don beautiful new colors. Pumpkin carving feels like it might as well happen the whole season.
At the very least, the holiday is fun for all ages. Kids get to trick-or-treat, people of any age can dress up in costume, parties are common, and everyone can carve a pumpkin or watch a movie. It’s a low-stakes time. No one expects gifts. Most gatherings are optional—there are no family dinners with that uncle you hate. Even with the rich traditions, at its core today, Halloween is a time for everyone to have fun enjoying silly activities and costumes. Whether you are dressed in a costume that belongs at the Met Gala or a cheap shirt from your friend’s closet, we should all enjoy some cute fall fun with a dash of horror. Happy Halloween!