As Halloween approaches, people begin to think about the traditions that they participate in and why they are considered important.

Since I was a little girl, I always loved when the air became cooler, the sun went down sooner, and the leaves began to fade into different shades. Halloween, for me, means carving pumpkins, decorating around the house, dressing in a costume, watching classic Halloween movies, and–most importantly when I was younger– trick or treating. These traditions that formed in my family when I was younger have stayed with me into my adulthood.

What is it about this holiday that connects with people? Well, first and foremost, since we are in elementary school and before then, we are socialized to participate in Halloween. Society plays a significant role in shaping our traditions and what we find “valuable” to our lives. For example, every September, television channels start advertising old movie classics like “Hocus Pocus” and “Beetlejuice.” Stores start putting out family-size bags of every type of candy possible on the shelves. We may not realize it, but these actions influence us to involve ourselves in the Halloween traditions.

I remember racing home from school as a child on Halloween to get my costume on and head to the biggest neighborhood in town to ensure I would receive the most candy possible. Why did I want to participate in this tradition when frankly, I could’ve easily gone right to the nearest store and bought a bag of candy and saved a lot of my time? Because I grew an emotional connection to this holiday and these traditions that I had been exposed to throughout my childhood.

CLC student, Kobe Kriese, loves Halloween and has participated in Halloween traditions since his youth.

“Traditions like trick or treating stuck with me because when I was a little kid, people would pass out candy to me, so I need to live it on and pass candy to kids now,” Kriese said.

CLC student Brooke Poulos has a few traditions she stands by every year, including carving pumpkins, passing out candy, and dressing up.

“Halloween reminds me of my childhood and how happy I would get around that time of the year,” Poulos said. “I think society mostly started these traditions, but my family and I have carried them on by carving pumpkins the night before Halloween and making these activities traditions.”

Halloween is different for everyone – some may think it is just an excuse for kids to receive candy and for the candy companies to make a profit. However, to some, this holiday holds many important traditions that stay with families for many years.