Halloween Through the Years

Halloween has always been one of my favorite times of the year. Whether I was 6 and dressed as Tinkerbell or 18 and dressed as a basic bunny, I have always looked forward to the fall weather, gloomy skies and spooky atmosphere. However, Halloween then versus Halloween now could not be more different. Here’s how my Halloweens have looked in the past.

Halloween as a baby

Mom picked my costume. I was a Pea-in-a-Pod at 3 months old. Adorable. 

Halloween in Elementary school

Low-key, Halloween in elementary school wins. First of all, Halloween costume catalogs would be sent to my house in late August. I would spend HOURS circling which costumes I might want to be. Minnie Mouse? An ice cream cone? The world was my oyster. After 2 months of shopping around, I’d finally pick one. When the day of Halloween arrived, I would show up to school all decked out in my costume. At the end of the day, all of the parents would gather around outside and watch us kids parade around in our costumes. I felt like the damn Queen of England as I waved to my mom in my homemade sunflower costume. After the parade, we would go back to the classroom and a spread of Halloween cupcakes and cookies would be laid out for us. We would play games and wrap each other up in toilet paper to look like mummies. Once school was out, it was trick-or-treating time. My mom would take me, my brother and our friends out to the go-to trick-or-treating neighborhood in my town and we would go off, to say the least. This was my favorite part because the houses that we would go to were BIG. At a young age, my brother and I learned that the bigger the house, the bigger the candy selection. We were determined to fill up our candy bags to the brim and as we got older it would end up being a competition between the two of us. At the end of the night, my brother and I would sit at our kitchen table and trade candy. Obviously, two pieces of hershey’s chocolate for a pack of starbursts. The day would end, along with my sugar high and I would go to bed thinking about what I wanted to dress up as next year. 

Me and my brother dressed as Spiderman and Tinkerbell

Halloween in Middle school

Halloween in middle school is awkward af. Like… are you too old to go trick-or-treating? It’s like you still have that urge to go but then you ring the doorbell and hold out your candy bag and get disturbing looks because you’re no longer a cute kid in a costume. I’ll never forget my 7th grade Halloween costume. I was… wait for it… Lady Gaga. Wig, boots, sunglasses and all. Imagine that coming up to your door and asking for candy on Halloween. Scary. No celebrations were had in school, but people started to have Halloween parties. I remember my friend had a Halloween/Birthday party and the Monster Mash was playing on her radio and the lights were off and everyone was in full costume. Juice and goldfish were served. We had a time. 

Me and my friend Eleni dressed as an ice cream cone and a pizza lmao

Halloween in High school

This is the first time that Halloween was not celebrated on Halloween. It’s celebrated on the weekend. My high school was whack and every year we would throw a party for juniors/seniors at a nearby club. People went hard with their costumes. I mean, this took weeks of preparation. I would show up to this party with a fresh mani, a blowout and a $70 costume that I would never wear again. Not to mention, I would diet for this event. As if my scrawny high-school self needed a diet. The party would always end up in absolute chaos and would usually get shut down. But for some reason, this was the event of the YEAR.  

Me and Sarah dressed as sailors

Halloween in College 

Oy vey. Do I even want to get into this. A shit show. An absolute shit show is what Halloween in college is. 3 night benders, basic costumes that you’re bound to be freezing in, and an expectation for it to be the most lit night in college. Warning: It won’t be. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always ended up having a good time on Halloween. But there is just always way too much pressure for this to be a good night, when the reality is, it’s the same as every other night except this time you’re dressed up. 

Me and my friend Sam dressed as a court jester and a skeleton

So does Halloween get worse or better as you age? I’m not sure but all I know is that I’m nervous for what it will be like after college. Am I about to be a mom of 3 dressing up alongside her kids? If I am, someone slap me and put me in my place. Have a Happy Halloween everyone! Make good choices ;)