Halloween has evolved from its origins in Celtic customs that were meant to fend off frightening ghosts and become a contemporary celebration of creativity, community, and cultural trends. Pop culture has changed the holiday from being a time of fright to one of celebration.
This was once a superstitious holiday where rituals were practiced to shield oneself from supposed wandering souls because people felt that the line separating the living from the dead got thinner. Costumes, sweets, and movie inspiration have largely diminished the sense of danger in today’s world.
“I think Halloween’s origins are something very interesting, I have seen movies that show its origins and they are some of my favorites,” shared junior Sophie Yetming.
The darker aspects of Halloween have been mellowed by television and movies as new traditions emerge. The holiday has changed through the media to become a celebration of originality and culture. These days many children see nervousness as a chance to be creative rather than as something to be feared.
Pop culture is seen in every costume shop and online post.
The new trends that emerge each year include scary characters, movie villains, and even nostalgic characters from earlier trends. Halloween has changed throughout time to mirror the year’s current social trends. Instead of ghosts and witches, there is Batman, Lara Croft, or characters from shows and movies such as Coraline. The shift of when fear becomes humor is seen as society demonstrates its ability to control and change what formerly frightened it. Nowadays, Halloween is less about chasing ghosts and more about celebrating imagination.
“This year for Halloween I’m going to dress up as Wonder Woman because she’s in my favorite movie. I think that dressing up as movie characters is one of the best parts of Halloween,” shared junior Camilla Echeverri.
From its imaginative beginnings to its media-based present, Halloween will continue to evolve alongside pop culture. What was once a night that brought fear, now becomes a stage for creativity, showing that even the darkest traditions can adapt in new ways.
