Halloween is a highly anticipated time of the year, filled with excitement and opportunities for creativity. Mavericks were surveyed about their favorite candies, movies, and the traditions they implement during this time of the year.
Traditions during Halloween can vary widely, but many families embrace the enthusiasm of decorating their houses with ‘spine-chilling’ themes, carving complex designs into pumpkins, and throwing on creative costumes to go trick-or-treating in the neighborhoods. Although Halloween traditions may not be present in every home, indulging in sweet treats is a must for everyone.
“My family didn’t have Halloween traditions, but we always kept candy in the house around that … so, I loved that as a kid,” Social Studies teacher Lauren Vanderburg said.
Each year, students attentively select unique costumes for Halloween, ranging from creative and humorous outfits to eerie or lighthearted characters. Their imaginative and often intricate attire reflects their personal interests and permits them to articulate their individualities.
“My costume this year is going to be Nami’s egghead outfit from One Piece, a manga series,” Roselyn Galindo, 10, said. “I chose this costume because since August 2022, I’ve been very fixated with the series, and Nami has become one of my favorite characters in the show.”
Another popular Halloween tradition, watching scary movies, has become an essential part of this spooky celebration, as friends and families gather together to experience unsettling thrills, from classic horror films to modern suspenseful thrillers.
“I enjoy watching any movie from Tim Burton,” Olivia Northcutt, 11, said. “It just feels ominous and comforting in the perfect way.”
Enjoying treats is another way to truly embrace the Halloween spirit. Candy corn, with its distinctive tri-colored layers of yellow, orange, and white, has become a nostalgic Halloween treat. It has also garnered strong opinions; some people love its sugary taste, while others find its chewy texture unpleasant.
“Candy corn is my favorite candy to eat during Halloween,” Northcutt said. “It is like eating sweet candle wax!”
However, in the survey conducted with students, candy corn fell short of being a top favorite. The most popular candies were:
Kits Kats – 20 votes
Twix – 17 votes
Reese’s – 10 votes
Gummy candy – 10 votes
Hershey’s – 6 votes
Skittles – 6 votes
Regardless of students’ diverse preferences and opinions on all-things Halloween related, Halloween continues to bring a sense of excitement, community, and seasonal spirit that unites students across campus.
