It’s the brisk, eerie feeling and faint smell of chocolate in the air. It’s the suspense and excitement of the night as you say the three magic words that bring you candy: trick or treat. Halloween may be over, but the spirit of it isn’t. A few Kempsville students explained to me what they believe to be the ups and downs of Halloween. So why do people enjoy Halloween so much? Why might the festivities of this holiday turn some away? Before we begin, let’s take a look at the holiday itself and its origin.

The truth is that Halloween is actually the first part in a trio of Catholic holidays during this time. According to www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org, its original name comes from the Scottish term for All Hallows’ Eve. This is due to Halloween being October 31^st, the day before All Hallows’ Day. All Saints’ Day, as it is now called, is celebrated on November 1^st. It originated as a day of remembrance for those who had been martyrs for Christ. However, All Saints’ Day is now in remembrance of those who have passed and gone to heaven.

The third of the holidays is All Souls’ Day. It’s actually known by many different names and celebrated differently depending on the branch of Christianity. The Catholic Church celebrates All Souls’ Day annually on November 2^nd. This holiday is in remembrance of those who died and did not make it to heaven.

As stated on www.celebrate-day-of-the-dead.com, there is a variation of the holiday in Mexico (and a few other countries) known as the Day of the Dead. Day of the Dead is celebrated from November 1^st and November 2^nd. The preparations begin on October 31^st. On this holiday, families and friends pay tribute to their loved ones that have passed. In the most basic sense, it is a combination of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. As a matter of fact, this is one of the most important holidays in Mexico.

Many students, like Juniors Jacob Matherly and James Elkins, love the thrill of scaring others. You could also be like Rayvn Gallimore, who enjoys the spooky decorations and the skeletons. The last member of Team Spooky is someone you might relate to. That’s right- Jessica Duncan is in it for the candy.

On the other end, Alyssa Moses says that she doesn’t like what Halloween stands for. Sophomore Caleb Hunter says is he is a bit concerned with the devilish vibe. That being said, it’s understandable why some may not wish to partake in the celebration. Nonetheless, Halloween isn’t necessarily bland for Team Home-oween. “…I do like the candy, though”, Hunter admitted.

Speaking of candy, I asked Team Spooky about their favorite candies. Snickers were an honorable mention. A few more items on the list of your classmates’ candy cravings were Candy Corn, Kit-Kats, and Skittles. Of course, these are must-have items for every bowl. Moving on from the candy recommendations, it is time to discuss costumes and cinema. What are the best Halloween movies? What costumes have been memorable?

The best costume Matherly’s seen is a washing machine. “Yes, someone actually dressed up as a washing machine” he said, laughing. Even stranger yet, Gallimore’s seen someone dressed up as a trout! But what did they dress up as this year? “I’m going as the Mad Hatter”, Matherly said enthusiastically. Fans of the web comic Homestuck would enjoy Gallimore’s this year, because she dressed up as Dave Strider. Last but certainly not least, Elkins told me he dressed as a two-faced clown.

     Casper the Friendly Ghost is a favorite of many, and Matherly understands why. Meanwhile, Gallimore likes it a bit more on the scary side. Insidious is her favorite Halloween movie. Duncan said that Freddy vs. Jason is her favorite. Elkins is torn between Rick Rosenthal’s Halloween Resurrection and Mark Jones’ Leprechaun. If you haven’t seen them already, take the recommendations of your classmates into consideration. Check out those fantastic films!

Everyone celebrates Halloween has had a memorable moment. Matherly and Elkins both have fond memories of scaring people (some to the point of crying, even). Gallimore’s most fond memory of Halloween was watching the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Duncan’s most fond memory was simply trick-or-treating as a kid. Who could blame her?

While some holidays such as Christmas are preferred over Halloween, and some people, such as Moses, get a little agitated from time to time that our culture says we must take part in Halloween, we can all agree on a few basic tips for staying safe during Halloween. Stick together (most importantly), don’t take candy from others, and wear glow sticks/reflective tape. These are all very good rules to keep in mind. I hope you all had a safe Halloween this year and will continue to do so next year!