Lauren Meurer
Staff Writer

When people think of Halloween today, they associate it with candy and decorations. But that isn’t how people used to think of it.

The tradition of Halloween started in the 16th century. Currently, it is most popular in Britain, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

This year, sixty-nine people replied to a poll, which asked what they were doing for Halloween.

Twenty-nine said they were going to the dance.

Sophomore Kristen Burk said, “I’m going to witches woods, with a free pass, and the dance.”

The Halloween dance is run every year by DECA, and it has always had a large turn out.

In the poll, twenty-two people said they were going to a party.

Eileen Finegan said, “I’m going to a party on Saturday, and on Sunday I’m going trick-or-treating.”

The third most popular answer was “working and studying.”

After this response, sixteen people said they would be handing out candy.

The Celts. a British religious group, believed evil spirits would travel from “The Otherworld” and haunt them. Halloween costumes were created to copy and/or calm the evil spirits.

Trick-or-treating also resembles the medieval practice of “souling,” when the poor went door to door on Halloween asking for food.

The last option on the poll was “trick-or-treating.” This is last because many students and parents believe that after eighth grade, kids should not go trick-or-treating.