Missing the Magic: When Halloween Doesn’t Feel Like It Used To

By: Monica Chang

Remember when Halloween used to feel like the most magical night of the year? Your family would take you costume shopping at Party City before, you’d run around door to door with your best friends, and your biggest priority of the night was getting as much candy in your Trick or Treat basket as possible. Now it’s about the outfits, the plans, and staying out late. And sometimes, it feels like the magic got a little lost as we grew up. 

Honestly, it can sometimes feel like Halloween’s now less about having fun and more about how it all looks to everyone else. The costumes have to be perfect and trendy, the nights out have to be good and eventful, and everyone’s secretly comparing who did it best. Somewhere between trick-or-treating and Halloweekend, the innocence of it all got replaced with a kind of pressure to make Halloween feel picture-perfect. 

It’s okay if it doesn’t feel the same anymore. Growing up means the things that once felt whimsical and magical start to change, but that doesn’t mean they disappear. The magic’s still here – it just looks a little different now. Maybe it’s in painting pumpkins with your besties, trick-or-treating for the fun of it again, or wearing a costume that channels your inner child and makes you happy, not just because it’ll get you tons of likes on Instagram and TikTok. 

Part of growing up is realizing how important perspective is and that the things that used to feel so effortless now take some intention to happen. Halloween, in a way, used to happen for us. Our parents planned it, our friends were all nearby, and fun just kind of happened. Now, we have to create that same feeling ourselves. 

This Halloween, remember that you can still channel all the childhood magic you miss, even when going out. Laugh with your friends, enjoy your favorite candies or treats, and pick costumes that make you feel like your younger self a little. The magic hasn’t disappeared - it’s just yours to create now!