Halloween is one of those rare holidays I have come to truly enjoy. There is no other holiday that captures the mystique and pure delight that comes from totally cutting loose from your identity and in the process exploring the creative side of your brain. Other holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter… all have their elements of fun, but tie too many other elements to them to be care-free while partaking in the holiday festivities.
Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving are all guaranteed family reunions and by that definition alone are partly cumbersome. Instead of just enjoying the spirit of these holidays there is always that pressure and expectation of good behavior and an almost clairvoyant ability to choose “the perfect gift” (most likely for someone you have not even been in contact with for the entire year prior). There are also many religious/traditional aspects that must be tended to that are not exactly the embodiment of a day trip to Great Adventure.
Halloween on the other hand totally flies in the face of conventional holidays. It is the only one I know of that is predicated on scaring the living daylights out of any and everyone in the name of fun. There is no expectation of family gatherings, coming from all over the country and gathering around the pumpkin. On the contrary, this is a chance to differentiate yourself from your family and not be burdened by the social conventions of respect/kindness that are the staples of behavior otherwise. Pranks and jokes are welcome on this day and are mostly met with giggles and smiles.
No matter what religion, nationality, and gender… everyone in the community takes part whether by handing out candy or decorating their houses into eerie dungeons or frightful castles of doom. Growing up the familiarity and kindness I received on this holiday was great and there was no fear of receiving bad candy… not that my mom did not go through the batch with forensic accuracy. It is a holiday that immediately transports me back to my first costume. You know the little plastic mask with the rubber band affixed by two industrial staples along with the plastic onesie that I used to pull over my torso to become Rainbow Brite or the like? I can still smell the vinyl now!
As an adult Halloween has a whole new exciting aspect to it as well. It is a real interesting dynamic for 20 something’s like myself. There are all of these guys that throughout the year are all stiff and unassuming… and then on Halloween they come out of their shells. They become the rock singer or sports star they idolize and for one night really take on a persona they would be better off adopting in their everyday life. The confidence this holiday inspires is not limited to the boys either. Along with my girlfriends, I find myself dressing in outrageous and daring outfits than I would ever dare attempt wear on a normal day. I feel a little less constricted by what people think of me on that day…. What could be better?

Jazmin Triguero