The scariest thing this Halloween is the lack of Trick-or-Treaters and the barren, plain yards of Americans. People everywhere are changing their Halloween traditions but not for the better. Instead of a night of scary costumes, long neighborhood walks, and candy, people are just buying the things that make the spooky holiday so special and keeping them for themselves.

One reason this holiday is dying is because people no longer have relationships with their neighbors. This results in people not going from house-to-house in their own neighborhood but instead going to higher-class neighborhoods or to events such as a “Trunk-or-Treat.” This removes the special connection between people on Halloween when everyone decorates their homes and loads up on sugary treats.

One thing that made Halloween so special was its ability to connect communities, unlike Christmas or Thanksgiving, which are only celebrated with one’s friends and family. Everyone knows dusk on October 31 is a time for scary movies, face painting, and giving treats, yet now people decide to just eat sugar and not participate in what makes the holiday unique.

Some people may argue that surveys show that there has been a huge increase in Halloween candy sales as well as Halloween memorabilia. But, this can be explained by increasing consumerism and obesity. 

 People just buy and eat an excess of Halloween candy while skipping the Trick-or-Treat aspect of the tradition. In fact, they buy excess amounts of just about everything today, and so Halloween decorations are just another example of that. 

The real shocker is that despite so much merchandise being sold, fewer and fewer people actually decorate the outsides of their homes. Some people don’t even bother to turn on their porch lights, which is the typical signifier of someone having candy to offer on Halloween night. 

 Unfortunately, more and more people as young as teenagers are getting turned away at people’s doors, despite the tradition starting with people of all ages. This results in kids stopping dressing up younger and younger, making the participating crowds smaller and smaller. Wouldn’t people rather have teens participate in Trick-or-Treating and other wholesome events instead of being left to their own imaginations for how to spend a night known notoriously for mischief? It’s not called TRICK-or-Treat for nothing. 

Halloween was an incredible holiday where people could come together as a community and share their love for the dark and spooky while topping it off with candy. Unfortunately, the holiday is turning into nothing but a marketing campaign to sell more things to gullible people. I guess it’s good that people are scared of the dark because that’s what streets are expected to look like this Halloween.