Wait until October, at least

By Benjamin Yeargin, Managing Editor

I’m not a Grinch. I promise.

I love the holidays like everyone else. The family time, the gifts, the celebrations and the candy. The beginning of October to Christmas is my favorite time of the year.

Also, I want to make it clear that I do believe you should celebrate the fall season with your favorite activities like pumpkin carving, eating pumpkin-flavored things, observing the leaves change and watching some football, too.

But I want every part of the year to get its own time. Halloween’s time should be from mid-October to the end of the month.

I don’t — and never will — understand the rush to start celebrating Halloween in September or even late in the summer. Walking into a dorm and seeing skeletons, pumpkins and small orange and purple stickers on the windows now makes me cringe. It isn’t even October yet.

It’s similar to walking into Costco in August and seeing displays already for Christmas, as documented by the Daily Mail.

For me, seeing decorations that early takes away the fun of having something to look forward to and the special nature of a holiday. Halloween is something I look forward to, so to have it be commodified and advertised way too early ruins how unique it is.

After all, if you decorate in September, by the time Halloween actually rolls around, where is the novelty in the pumpkins and skeletons around your home?

There’s many traditions that just would not be the same from being celebrated early — trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving and watching spooky movies. They must be done on Halloween or right around Halloween to be truly effective.

I fondly remember carving pumpkins with my brother, sister and mom and roasting the pumpkin seeds in the oven after, which we would munch on. I also remember trick or treating during the “killer clown” era of 2016 — where everyone dressed up as clowns to scare teenagers like me — and being absolutely terrified.

Now imagine if that happened in mid-September. It wouldn’t be the same.

I don’t want to gatekeep Halloween or the fall from anyone, but I think it would suit all of us better to take Halloween and every holiday (I’m talking to you, Christmas) one season at a time.

Halloween starts when you want it to

By Julia Kusmenko, Contributing Writer

The scent of dry leaves drifts through the air. The weather begins to turn and the sun sets early. Now that it is officially fall, it’s appropriate to start celebrating Halloween.

Commemorating Halloween at the start of fall means there is more time to enjoy festivities, build excitement and foster memories with those around you.

One reason to partake in Halloween-related activities during the fall season is that it sparks joy. For instance, decorating my house with holiday decorations never fails to put a smile on my face. Whether it’s preparing your costume, watching scary movies or carving pumpkins, who’s to prohibit you from engaging in something harmless that makes you happy.

Celebrating Halloween festivities early also brings people together. The Associated Press National Opinion Research Center reported, “76% of American adults do something to celebrate Halloween,” in 2019.

There’s nothing that compares to going on a haunted hayride or traipsing through a corn maze to spend time with those close to you. With a wide range of Halloween activities out there, engaging in spooky festivities earlier in the season allows for more time to appreciate the holiday.

From visiting haunted houses to baking tasty treats, this holiday encourages people to come together during fall.

I held annual Halloween parties in middle school to prepare for the actual day. Watching films such as “Halloweentown” curled up on my couch or painting pumpkins in my backyard was something special I could share with my friends that made the joy of the holiday last the entire season.

Getting ready for Halloween in September means there is more time for people to build their excitement for the holiday. The anticipation is not understated, as the U.S. Census Bureau reported that about 41 million kids ages five to 14 trick-or-treated in 2021.

With a plethora of costume options, Halloween is a chance for people of all ages to express their creativity. Preparing one’s costume in the months leading up to Halloween allows for anticipation to grow. That way, kids and adults are filled with excitement by Oct. 31.

There will always be people who drag others down for their enthusiasm surrounding holiday festivities. Ultimately, celebrating Halloween at the start of fall is a greater opportunity for the magic of Halloween to engender meaningful moments in one’s life.