The summer heat fades as temperatures lower, and fall begins. Trees filled with bright oranges and yellows – fiery pigments of color-changing leaves. People celebrate this change of season with pumpkin carving, corn mazes, apple picking, and the spookiest event of all: Halloween. As famous as this fall tradition persists, a popular question has raised eyebrows. Do the students of North Atlanta widely celebrate Halloween?

Halloween has been a holiday for decades, dating back to its establishment in the 1840s. Over time, old mischievous pranks like tipping over outhouses have mellowed out to stealing candy from neighbors. For many, Warriors began trick-or-treating and dressing up in costumes as babies. However, growing up as a high schooler compels freshman Chloe Ashford to reminisce on Halloween as a child. “There’s a part of me that misses walking around with a little bucket to collect my favorite candies,” said Ashford. “It’s just not the same when you’re older.”

Despite the holiday feeling outgrown to some students, Halloween continues to be loved by many Warriors. Parties are thrown, and sweets are still devoured on the last weekend of October. Multiple students, such as sophomore Karli Chan advocate strongly for a holiday. “Who doesn’t like Halloween?” said Chan. “You get to dress up, hang out with your friends, and eat candy.”

While many Halloweens have passed, this year’s celebration is exceptional. The pandemic has led to the pause of significant festivities over the last three years, including Halloween. Neighborhood streets were left empty, and guidelines were enforced for health safety measures. Fortunately, cases have declined, and junior Luke McCullough shares his excitement for this year’s Halloween. “Halloween is more relevant now than ever,” said McCullough. “We haven’t been able to celebrate properly since I was in middle school.”

From celebrating as a child to enjoying the event as a high schooler, the Halloween spirit lives on in the eleven stories. Dubs will continue participating in spirit weeks, costume parties, and scary movies for many years. Happy haunting, Warriors!