Halloween has been a holiday where imagination is the most important aspect, from elaborate costumes to worrisome decorations. However, as social media and pop culture costumes start to influence the holiday today, some wonder whether creativity is thriving or fading.

For students, Halloween remains a chance to express themselves in ways that go beyond the normality of everyday fashion; they all dream of wearing the most extravagant things.

 “I would wear something really grand, probably a fairy. I’d have big wings and a fancy skirt and a nice sparkly top,”  freshman Elenie Ragado said.  

Regardless of social media’s endless possibilities for ideas, it sometimes encourages repetition instead of innovation.

 “I think it’s hurt creativity for costumes because you get to see a lot of what other people are doing and you get to see inspiration from others and go, Oh, let me do that, instead of your own thing,” Ragado said.

DIY costumes were once a big part of Halloween; though some people still create their costumes themselves, they are becoming less common. 

“I still see a lot of them at parties.” Tyler Visser, a sophomore, said. People would love to see many types of costumes on the streets, such as movie characters, cute couple costumes, or elaborate ones that take months to prepare. “Scarier costumes, I feel like a lot of people don’t wear them anymore,” sophomore Connor said. 

Decorations show a similar mix of traditional and modern. Some argue whether technology allows for more creative control or if it limits the affection people have for the holiday by using a computer to create something instead of handcrafting it. 

“I feel like a lot of things are more for show now instead of for traditions,”  Ragado said. 

Halloween is a holiday that allows people to express their creativity and go all out with their chosen decorations. The spirit of imagination must continue to grow and evolve, rather than disappear, so it remains more than just a nostalgic memory.