By Hayleigh Brokaw
Halloween is always such a fun time when you’re young, but does it change when you’re older? The Halloweens of my childhood were always an event. Growing up in a small town, where my whole block was one big family, made these types of holidays all the better. There was a group of about 10 kids- we were all within three to four years apart and loved to cause trouble (in a good way). The opportunity to think back on Halloween and the fun associated with it really got me thinking.
For me, the Halloween season always accentuated a certain type of excitement, and feelings. Unfortunately, in the Midwest, we are bound to have a rather chilly Halloween, so we were usually bundled in coats over our costumes. School was always fun leading up to Halloween night, and the pumpkin patch was the place to be. The mess of carving pumpkins and roasting the seeds was always the highlight of my brother and I’s nights with my parents. For us, it was always about the king-size candy bars. After a few Halloweens, you knew exactly what houses to go to for the good stuff. The cornfields and dark, windy skies that surrounded us always set the mood for the night. No one can resist a free ride, right? We always had some mode of transportation- whether it be a hay-filled trailer, or all of us packing in the back of someone’s truck. Every year, there was always a party. Local families were infamous for their Halloween night parties, for both kids and adults.
Thinking about all these memories leads to me the question of: does this “magic” fade when you become older? This is true for more holidays than just Halloween. I see this trend in Christmas, birthdays, Easter, and so on. I personally think it’s sad, and very fixable. Understandably, there is a different effect that comes with these holidays in comparison to when you’re a child. I think that the fun and “magic” of the holidays are things that should be upheld. Whether it’s with friends, family, or even your own kids (now or in the future), people should continue to put emphasis on them because it is, for once, something positive that is emphasized. We are surrounded by negativity and unpleasant connotations every day that are emphasized more than the positives. I strongly believe that people will hear and see what they want to, so they will find some way to make anything negative or dramatic.
My point here is this: make the most out of holidays like these. Go to the pumpkin patch with your friends, spend time with your family on Thanksgiving, and go to the ugly sweater party on Christmas. Just because growing up can be… not fun, doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy the little things. Reflecting back on holidays such as this one brought me happiness, no matter how small. I have recently had the privilege of being on this team with a childhood friend, Hunter. We spent a lot (and I mean a lot) of time together when we were younger, and Halloween was one of the best ones. I found it fitting to include the picture of us in our AWESOME costumes from many Halloweens ago; even though we are now older and a little more stylish, it never hurts to take a trip back.