Halloween this year was filled with lots of tricks, but barely any treats. With precautions against the spread of COVID-19, not many were seen out and about trick-or-treating from door to door around the neighborhoods. Normally, nights like these would be filled with spooky costumes, haunted houses, bags of candy, and the notorious, bustling Margarita Avenue. Although decorations were displayed and the weather emphasized the occasion, most shut their doors, turned off their porch lights, and made various changes to their Halloween traditions.
Freshman Ella Gray had the opportunity to attend a small bonfire to celebrate the occasion. She also picked up some candy outside several houses, but noticed a vast difference between this year’s Halloween and previous ones.
“There weren’t that many people trick-or-treating, which is good because of COVID, but was still strange. The streets were a lot emptier and the whole town felt quiet,” Ella shared. “I still had tons of fun, as much as I did last year, but the transition from middle school to high school Halloween was a little weird to me.”
Being a freshman and new to high school, it can seem daunting when deciding how to spend the night. No longer are these teens holding their parents’ hands as they trick-or-treat from door to door. Many choose to enjoy the night with friends instead of family. Costumes turned from store-bought creations to carefully planned and sophisticated works of art. The leap from childhood to young adulthood is a major one, full of exploration, discovery, and excitement.
Collin Archer, class of 2021, normally passes out candy to trick-or-treaters, but this year was the first he did not. Instead, he visited Proctor Valley Road (infamous for its urban legend of being haunted) with a handful of close friends. In previous years, he would scour Glorietta Boulevard with throngs of people. Before COVID, the most popular blocks to spend the night were Margarita Avenue and Glorietta Boulevard. Known for their mind blowing decorations, crazy costumes, and enormous crowds, this year was unfortunately not the spectacle it was famous for.
Freshman Emily Wygal also spent the evening out and about. With three of her close friends, she walked around Coronado, watched movies, and went to the dog park. She skipped trick-or-treating this year as a safety precaution and kept her circle of friends small. Despite the drastic change, Emily was still able to enjoy the occasion and looks forward to celebrating Halloween as usual in future years.
This year, October 31st happened to fall on a Saturday (no school or homework), with an extra hour on Sunday due to daylight saving time’s ending – the perfect storm for what should have been an extra fun holiday. At least the the ghosts and ghouls of Coronado were able to venture out and celebrate the entire day. A relief from online learning and the stresses of high school, it was an opportunity of the ages. Hopefully next year Coronado will receive all treats and no tricks!
