Spooky TV Appearances
Childhood years were filled with all types of shows and movies. From Nickelodeon to Disney, we could always count on “Monstober” or “Nickelodeon’s Ultimate Halloween Haunted House” to set the autumn atmosphere. The thrilling adventures of everyone’s favorite characters, created for Halloween specials, were always a staple for childhood memories. Original Halloween-inspired movies also set the mood for the season, generating excitement for the upcoming holiday. Classic Halloween movies like “Halloweentown” or “Hocus Pocus” filled living rooms on weekend nights, making it easy to get into the Halloween spirit.
Favorite Fall Activities
Fall is full of activities that bring both fun and tradition. Trips to pumpkin patches or the apple orchard are a weekend must. Families and friends wander through fields picking pumpkins and apples, laughing and sipping on warm apple cider. Haunted hayrides and corn mazes add a little scare to the season. Carving or painting pumpkins at home is another perfect way to relax and get creative. No fall season is complete without the classic foods and drinks. Pumpkin spice lattes, both loved and joked about, return every year without fail. Apple cider, hot or cold, is another seasonal favorite, usually enjoyed with a warm apple cider doughnut or pumpkin bread.
School Spirit
Back in elementary school, classrooms would be full of orange and black crafts, transforming the room into a beautiful fall scene. Art class meant making construction paper pumpkins or coloring spooky scenes. Students could also look forward to the Halloween parade, where everyone dressed up and walked around the school to show off their stylish costumes. Some schools held Trunk-or-Treats in the parking lot, where families decorated their cars and handed out candy to members of the towns. Other towns held movie nights to relive some spooky scenes. Cozy pajamas and scary snacks made the night all the more fun.
Seasonal Traditions
Of course, the holiday wouldn’t be the same without dressing up. Whether you were a superhero, a witch or something spontaneous, choosing a costume was always one of the most exciting parts of October. Walking down the store aisles searching for costumes was a core memory. Some neighborhoods still participate in “ghosting,” where friends secretly leave treats on each other’s porches with a note to pass it on. The treats could come at any time, so it was best to always be on alert. Mischief Night, the night before Halloween, was known for harmless pranks such as leaving toilet paper in trees.
Halloween Night
Finally, Halloween night brought all the month’s festivities together. Trick-or-treating may not be as common in high school, but the memories of walking door to door with pillowcases or plastic pumpkins in hand are unforgettable. Now, many students take part in handing out candy, attending parties or going to haunted houses with friends. Whether you’re carving pumpkins or just watching a throwback Halloween episode from a childhood show, this season is a time to remember the little moments that make Halloween special. Even as we grow up, Halloween still finds its way into our hearts.
Illustrations by Madeline Ko ’26
