It’s the spookiest time of the year
Now I know it may seem macabre to name Halloween my all-time favorite holiday. It’s all about ghosts, goblins and horror galore. But personally, I also believe that it is a time full of beauty and unique fun. From a young age, I found myself counting down the days until the spooky season. I have come to look forward to all the traditions that Halloween has to offer, from the ordinary to the odd. Moreover, my love for Halloween is something that has developed over time. Each new year, I find a deeper appreciation for this holiday and what it has come to represent for me. So, in honor of the best time of year fast approaching, let me tell you why Halloween is undeniably the best.
Now, if there is one thing you cannot deny, it is that spooky season screams fun. There are so many wonderful activities to explore, from costume parties to carving pumpkins. I love that there is always something exciting to do in the month leading up to Halloween. One thing that I particularly enjoy is going to a pumpkin patch and then following it up with a haunted house. My friends and I have started a tradition of traveling to the largest pumpkin patch in Wisconsin every year to participate in all the best fall activities. We drink apple cider, visit farm animals, and, of course, hunt for the perfect pumpkin. After we have had our fill of fall fun, we transition into a more Halloween-inspired vibe for the rest of the day. We often end up carving our pumpkins into frighteningly fantastic jack-o’-lanterns before heading off to a haunted house. Yes, it is absolutely terrifying every time, but also funny and exciting in the best way. The great thing about Halloween activities is that they occur on a spectrum from cutely spooky to absolutely horrifying, meaning there is something for everyone.
I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the horror aspect of Halloween. There is something about the horror genre I find both terrifying and alluring. When I was younger, I was constantly dared to watch scary movies or told scary stories by friends and family. Somewhere along the way, I went from hating the genre to enjoying it. First off, I started to understand just how much creativity goes into horror. It is a genre meant to stretch the imagination and bend the rules. From the plot line of a book to the special effects in a movie, everything that happens is meant to be bold, shocking and boundary-defying. While the outcome is usually grotesque, it is also beautiful when you approach it from this lens. Thus, I relish the fact that Halloween embraces and celebrates this often overlooked category.
Above all else, Halloween is immensely nostalgic for me. From a young age, my mom and I always made a huge deal out of Halloween. As soon as Oct. 1 rolled around, we were immediately celebrating. I remember all the times that we stayed up late setting up our Halloween decorations until the house was certified Halloween perfection. I remember flipping through costume catalogs until I found the costume that was just right. I remember going trick-or-treating with my best friends and then staying up late to sort through my candy. I remember that huge Halloween party my mom threw for all of our family and friends every year. I can’t look back on these memories and not find myself smiling. There is nothing like the feeling of remembering the fun and excitement of my childhood Halloweens, something I get to revisit every new spooky season.
Admittedly, this was mostly a reflective piece. I wanted to put into words my admiration for a holiday that is deeply important to me. Nevertheless, there is also a message that I wanted to share with you. Halloween is a time when you can be whoever and whatever you want. You can explore your wildest imaginations, and it is celebrated. Halloween is a magnificent blank canvas on which you alone can design your experience. I love Halloween because it gives me the freedom to make the season what I want, and I have made it into a spooky celebration of friends, family and memories. You, too, have the opportunity to create your own Halloween, so what will you make of it?