The initial magic and allure of Halloween’s magic seem to dwindle with age, here at Crofton high school the tradition’s for teens vastly differ from what they once were. As an outcome of Covid, aging, and student workload, Halloween’s ways of celebration aren’t what they used to be when students were younger. 

     Students at Crofton High school agreed. “Dressing up is not something that’s fun for me anymore.” said Junior Daniel Ross. 

   Typical Halloween events seen like haunted mazes, pumpkin carving, or even trick or treating seemingly fall off as teens age. “If you’re older, trick or treating has a different vibe.” Said Senior Jeremiah Ladao, another student at Crofton high school. 

   Other students such as Junior, Mia Schroeder seemed more determined to keep the Halloween tradition alive, “I’ve continued a tradition with my family since I was 7.” She said, “A big part of Halloween for us is that we make Halloween costumes. We’ll thrift with the same group of people. It’s a very protected tradition, I always do it with my family. We also always watch the Halloween episode of Stranger things.” 

    Halloween transitions such as these date back centuries, according to an article by History.com editors,  “The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.” It was celebrated in the regions now referred to as Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France.

   However, now that beliefs have changed, so have the ways we celebrate Halloween, “My family definitely likes eating candy and trick or treating.” said Daniel “Usually we just dress up and give out candy.” said Jeremiah. 

    Other students, such as Junior Claire Tobias, have given up on keeping the tradition alive altogether, regardless of age and grade level. “My family doesn’t put out candy for the kids. My parents don’t like to dress up, and neither do I. People decorate their lawns, and we don’t do any of that. Honestly, my family skips Halloween entirely and moves on to thanksgiving. I haven’t gone trick or treating in 5 years.” 

   Halloween has changed for a vast majority of students here at Crofton High school, some students choose to keep the magic alive, while others have decided to let it dwindle. Either way, Halloween is evident in different ways within the community each and every year.