As Halloween approaches, many Benilde-St. Margaret’s students are reminiscing about their past Halloweens from their childhood. The nostalgia of being a kid dressed up in your favorite costume with all your friends is a core memory for many.
As a child, the thrill of choosing a costume and preparing for trick-or-treating was the most exciting part of being a kid. Racing from house to house, with your basket overflowing with candy, is a core memory for many students. “Being a kid running around each house to get candy with your friends and then going home to count it all up were some of my favorite memories from my childhood,” junior Ésme Bell said.
Today, many still carry on the traditions they loved as children and continue to cherish them as they grow out of their childhood. These traditions have a special place in many hearts, from carving pumpkins to going into haunted houses. “I always helped my mom set out the Halloween decorations outside our house. We always had a bunch of extravagant lights and cobwebs that we put on our lawn,” junior Olivia Kremanak said.
Each year, kids excitedly look forward to picking out their Halloween costumes. As students pick out their current costumes, many recall what they dressed up as a kids. The memories of being a young kid and picking any princess or character you wanted to be were a highlight of many people’s Halloweens. “I was Mal from Descendants when I was younger, which was one of my favorites,” Kremanak said.
Halloween is more than a holiday; it is a time that brings communities closer together. Everyone from parents to toddlers dressed up in costumes, and coming together in one space connects everyone and truly brings people closer. Out of laughter and anticipation of Halloween night, annually communities come together to make the night a memorable one for all. “I always used to go to my country club Halloween party, which looking back on it, I miss,” sophomore Grier Julkowski said.
As with every holiday, October 31 brings friends and family together to celebrate a night of Halloween spirit. Now, as kids are older, the festivities of Halloween change, which is a bittersweet realization for many. “I miss the family bonding that Halloween brought us,” Julkowski said.