Last week, on October 31st, took place the well-known holiday, Halloween. A holiday celebrated with spooky movies, treats, and fun. Despite Halloween’s amusing traditions, the holiday wasn’t always like this. Halloween started as Samhain, which was a festival celebrated by the ancient Celtics. Celtics believed that on the last night of the Celtic year, which was on October 31, that borders between earth and the afterlife blurred, causing ghosts to roam the earth. Celtics would wear scary costumes and light bonfires in order to ward off ghosts and keep them from causing any trouble. There are a few different theories on how trick or treating became a custom. The most popular being that trick or treating started as an English and Scottish tradition where poor people and eventually children would knock on people’s doors asking for food in exchange for prayers to keep ghosts away. Many people now choose not to celebrate Halloween. Especially those of religious backgrounds due to its disturbing origins. When it comes to the present day, our traditions aren’t linked to what they once were. According to wallethub.com, as of 2024, 72% of Americans celebrate Halloween. 29% planned on celebrating by throwing or going to a party, and around 41 million children ages 5-14 intended on going trick or treating. 52% of homes in America were decorated for Halloween, and 49% wore costumes. That may have been how Halloween was celebrated across America, but what about our school? How did students at ERHS celebrate Halloween?

     Interview#1

• Introduce yourself.
  • “Angel Earnest, Freshman”
• Did you celebrate Halloween this year? If so what did you do?
  • “I went trick or treating with family and friends”
• Did you have a costume? if so what did you dress as?
  • “I dressed up in an inflatable unicorn costume” 
• Was your home decorated for Halloween?
  • “No, we usually do but there was no time this year”

Interview #2

• Introduce yourself.
  • “My name is Cole Mullikin and I’m in the 10th grade”
• Did you celebrate Halloween this year? If so what did you do?
  • “I did celebrate Halloween I went trick or treating with some friends”
• Did you have a costume? if so what did you dress as?
  • “We all dressed up as a meme we had seen on social media. We were all bees and there was one cookie”
• Was your home decorated for Halloween?
  • “My home was decorated a little bit, but we definitely could have done more”
• Any last words?
  • “I think that Halloween is slowly becoming less popular and we could work as a community to help revive Halloween”

Interview #3

• Introduce yourself.
  • “Joshua Hurst, I’m in the 9th grade”
• Did you celebrate Halloween this year? If so what did you do?
  • “Not really I didn’t go trick or treating or anything but we had a party“
• Did you have a costume? if so what did you dress as?
  • “No, I didn’t dress up”
• Was your home decorated for Halloween?
  • “Not really, it was decorated a bit”

When it comes to future plans, aside from neighboorhood trick or treating, there are plenty of options for things to do that are either free or low cost in the area. 

Every year Greenbelt holds a Fall festival. This festival includes live music, games, face painting, kite flying, lawn games, pumpkin carving, hayrides, food, and more. The location of this event is Schrom Hills Park 6915 Hanover Pkwy. The date of the festival may very depending on the year.

For students planning on attending the University of Maryland in the future, each year the STEM program hosts a halloween event. This year at the STEM library in Kirwan Hall, there was a Halloween themed scavenger hunt. The hunt lasted 4 days and the goal was to be in the first 10 people to find 4 Testudo figures around campus with several clues. More information on this event is found on  the STEM programs instagram page.

At the Greenbelt Beltway Plaza and Franklin Park, there are a trunk or treat events. This event is hosted by the Greenbelt Police Department. Like most trunk or treats the trunk of cars are decorated with various Halloween related decor and kids can go around collecting candy from these trunks. People dress up, get together, and have a fun time.

Several students at ERHS celebrate Halloween in ways that are unique to them, big or small. Not only that but many connected with friends and family on this night at fun events hosted by the community. Hopefully students will continue to enjoy this night in the years to come!