Halloween traditions for all ages
October 26, 2015
You know what time of year it is, when kids stay up all night running door to door getting their stash of candy for the next year.
While many people are doing the traditional Halloween events, trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving and dressing up, are a variety of people doing other traditions. They may go trick or treating all night, but many students don’t know what to do during the day.
Junior Anna Scheel has this tradition “Since [she] could remember.” Her family gets together with many other people like relatives and neighbors and have a taco bar for dinner. Then when the time is right the kids go out trick or treating.
” My grandma always comes down to our house too because we have over 300 trick to treaters and it’s a blast,” Scheel said.
Not only does Scheel’s grandmother come down, but all this is happening right in her home. An estimated number of how many people attend this event in Scheel’s neighborhood is about 50.
“In our kitchen we just put [food] all out on the island,” Scheel said.
Besides being excited for the food, Scheel loves to see the kid’s faces brighten when they see the candy drop into their bags and run excited to the next house for more.
“Nothing is more fun than seeing all those happy faces.” Scheel said.
Another popular tradition happens in a neighborhood is getting Boo’ed. This tradition like almost like May Day, except its with “things related to Halloween,” junior Hunter Dall-Winther said.
“Getting Boo’ed means that someone has a basket full and candy and things related to Halloween in it and also has a piece of paper saying that ‘you’ve been booed’ and another one saying ‘we’ve been booed’ [and with that] you put it on your door visible so that you can see it from far away. Once you’ve been booed you can’t be booed again,” Dall-Winther said.
This tradition has to have at least one person to start this event and from what Dall-Winther says it can be anyone.
“You don’t have to be booed to go boo someone else you can start it,” Dall-Winther said.
This is the first time Dall-Winther has been Boo’ed and is unknown of when this tradition happened. Dall-Winther says she enjoys this tradition very much and loves the rush she gets when you run away from the door.
“It’s like ding dong ditching your neighbors and when your coming up to the house you’re going to BOO its so awesome you just get this rush of excitement running through your body. And the question running through your head, are you going to get caught or are you going to get away with it,” Dall-Winther said.
When “Boo-ing” another person it is usually done in your neighborhood, but you may “Boo” neighborhoods that aren’t yours as well.
“You may boo other neighborhoods but its most likely going to happen in your neighborhood,” Dall-Winther said.
Math teacher Pete Hamilton loves the holiday Halloween and has a tradition he does every year with his wife’s side of the family.
“We have a tradition where its at our house and my wife’s side, her sister, her brother and their spouses and their kids. Theres eight and they range from kindergarten to eighth grade and we get together at my house and have soups and snacks and then once it’s kinda dusk we head out and do the trick or treating,” Hamilton said.
We have a tradition where its at our house and my wife’s side, her sister, her brother and their spouses and their kids. Theres eight and they range from kindergarten to eighth grade and we get together at my house and have soups and snacks and then once it’s kinda dusks we head out and do the trick or treating
— Pete Hamilton
Hamilton’s favorite part of the night is spending time with family, with all the delicious food made by everyone. This happens about an hour before they go out trick or treating.
“I would say my favorite part is the hour before we go out, cause there’s really good food and socializing with family and friends and catching up. The kids are super excited and getting costumes on and then maybe even the first half an hour of walking until our youngest burns out.”
Hamilton has three kids by the names of Ella, Oren and Lewis. Ella is unsure of what she wants to be, but is either a going to be grandma or Starbucks cup. Oren is planning to be morph robber and Lewis the youngest is planning be a character from a TV show. Since they’re still young, they don’t last very long when trick or treating.
“So my youngest Lewis, he’s getting better each year, but now he’s a first grader he’ll usually go until and hour of the trick or treating,” Hamilton said. “Ella and Oren, some years they’re troopers and try to get as much candy as they can,” Hamilton added.
With all these fun and new traditions it brings joy and, “It’s just super cool to see the community come together and celebrate the spooky holiday,” said Scheel. “It
s just a fun thing to do with your neighbors,” Dall-Winther added.
