Across America the month of October brings about heavy anticipation for fun fall events, annual traditions, and most of all, Halloween!
The Halloween experience holds a special place in the hearts of many,
particularly children and teenagers. However, the way Halloween is experienced during these two life stages is strikingly different. For younger kids, Halloween is a time of wonder and excitement, filled with costumes, trick-or-treating, and candy. I remember that special feeling, with the entire week building up to the night we finally got to trick-or-treat.
These memories for me are pure and unparalleled. There was a strong sense of community, and a comforting feel surrounding Halloween, as families wandered the streets together and kids ran from door to door.
As we age and become teenagers Halloween undergoes a transformation and we become less interested in our childhood traditions.
“When I was a kid, I’d think of candy and dressing up. Now when I think of Halloween it’s more about the parties,” senior Matilda Ainslie said. This transitioning time from childhood to oncoming adulthood leads to a culture shift.
What teenagers choose to do on Halloween, and how they choose to dress, corresponds with what many are told to believe is maturing and the start of adulthood. The pressure to conform with others and follow trends only gets more overwhelming as we age, and is supported by our surrounding peers and the increase of social media.
Many of us stopped trick-or-treating, as it seems to be something that filters out as we age.
“Nobody told me to stop dressing up, but my friends did, so I eventually did too,” Ainslie said. “I miss it.”
Personally, dressing up for me as a teenage girl has become focused on what compliments my body and features instead of trying to become someone or something else as I used to do when I was little. The pressure to dress provocatively increases specifically for girls as we age.
“Culture of it has changed to where you feel like you need multiple costumes and must dress in a sexier way.” Ainslie said.
The transformative idea of a costume has become less prevalent and instead made costumes into an accessory and something that must follow trends.
In our Gen Z era, we’re immersed in micro-trends—whether it’s leopard print, camo sweatshirts, or specific accessories—and these trends spill over into our Halloween costumes, which we often build from popular clothing pieces we see on Pinterest or Instagram. Costumes have become less about who or what you want to portray, and more about what’s in style or looks flattering. I’ve noticed now, that costumes are something we create using trending pieces of clothing, and what would complement it, instead of first deciding what character to be and then shaping a costume around the idea. They are either in style or not, this is the simplest way to put it.
“Costumes become less about what you want to be and instead, what will look good on you,” Ainslie said. This isn’t always the case and some manage to ignore the social pressure and put together a unique costume, however this is so hard for younger generations when every aspect of our lives is influenced by trends and a pressure to conform.
The images that flood my social media pages act as a constant advertisement, and lead me to always compare myself and the way I dress. This was never the case when we were younger, nobody cared what character or thing was or wasn’t “in-style.”
The once pure holiday begins to fill with social pressures; what to wear, how many costumes do you need, what’s the trend, who’s hosting, who are you going with.This time becomes less spontaneous and carefree, and instead our fun must be well planned for weeks in advance.
For many, the parties become the highlight of the Halloween season, and have become the focus of the holiday. But what are these parties even celebrating? It has become an excuse to dress up and celebrate something unknown. Halloween falls on a Thursday this year, so most plan to party on the weekends, not even on October 31st.
All of these teenage Halloween experiences are not necessarily negative experiences, in fact, can be super fun. I believe it is ok to shift what you do as you grow older, and not spend all your time reminiscing and regretting youth, putting those childhood activities in the past.
However, if you find yourself missing the thrill of trick-or-treating, or wanting to run through a corn maze or bake Halloween cookies with friends, then do it. You’re never too old to enjoy Halloween your own way.