As the air becomes crisp and leaves fall from trees, the zombies and skeletons rise from their graves to haunt the city of Atlanta. Many Atlantans take part in decking their yards and homes out with haunting decorations along with the rest of the country, but are the high schoolers still into it, or is it just for the parents? A long-time American tradition is at stake, and teenagers are the next generation to take on the duty. The fate of front yards across the nation rests on their drive to be as spooky as humanly – or inhumanly – possible.

Some kids are up to the task, inheriting the holiday spirit from their parents. Junior Max Williams believes that Halloween decorating is the pinnacle of the celebration. On top of eccentric costumes and trick-or-treating, Williams thinks that throwing up spider webs, massive inflatables, and pumpkins across the house sets the mood. “Let’s say you’re going to a Halloween party,” he said. “What will you think when you walk through the door and there isn’t even a single pumpkin?”

While people like Williams certainly exist, most are less passionate about the event. Walker Stone, an 11th-grade Dub, likes to decorate as much as the next guy, following in his parent’s footsteps. You can catch him carving a Jack O’ Lantern or making cardboard graves with his family during October. Though he enjoys doing it, he doesn’t see much point in going overboard. “Everyone ought to do something at least,” said Stone. “Even then, I don’t live for inflatables and elaborate scenes.

On the other side of the spooky spectrum, you have what many holiday enthusiasts would consider a “lame” person. Junior Myers Allen has never been an avid fan of decorations; he sees it as a wasted effort. In his mind, all he needs is a bowl of candy for the neighbors on Halloween night – no one should expect anything from him. “If they want to see some decorations, they can go to the house next door,” he said.
Although only some people live for the preparation of October 31, Halloween decorations are a partially lost art among the youth. Whether decorating out of passion or obligation, most students are willing to throw up some decorations for a good time. Even with Dubs on board, most high school students could step up their Halloween game, which certainly bodes well for October in the years to come.