As Halloween gets closer, the excitement I get is a little different from the people around me.

I attended a church as a child, which forbade the celebration of things such as Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, etc. and the biggest of all, anything and everything having to do with Halloween. Through all of the times sitting in the hallway in elementary while everyone else would either sing Halloween songs or participate any other way for the holiday, and watching friends of mine get dressed up in costumes to go trick or treating, the feeling I have during the holiday is different.

One feeling I get is a sense of happiness around Halloween by seeing everyone else so excited to wear a costume of whoever they want. It’s great to know their inner child is still there and will thrive inside them for a long time. For just one night, it serves as an escape from the real world to be whoever you want. It gives people the freedom to be creative, while also being with friends and receiving candy.

Another feeling and memory I get as the holiday approaches is being with my family. Though I’ve never even carved a pumpkin, speaking to my family during the holiday sparks nostalgia because it reminds me of playing board games and watching non-Halloween related movies just to get our minds off of Halloween. Even though everyone else was busy getting candy, the effort my parents put into keeping me happy without celebrating means so much more, and I appreciate it even more now that I’m older.

Even though candy and dressing up in costumes is the only thing thought of when Halloween comes around each year, there are still reminders of hanging out with friends or staying in with your family during the holiday as a child.

As the movies I never saw keep repeating on television and stores keep advertising sales for costumes and candy, the entire aspect of seeing so many people enjoy and keeping the spirit alive is fascinating.