As the bright October leaves begin to fall, CHS students start to think about Halloween — the day of the year when it is acceptable to ring strangers’ doorbells and devour bags full of candy. While some students celebrate Halloween in a different way every year, others have formed traditions with family or friends that make the holiday special.

Many students enjoy celebrating Halloween with their families, oftentimes through various activities that take advantage of all that the fall season has to offer.

Sophomore Caroline Avery enjoys her family’s tradition of carving pumpkins every year for Halloween. “Every year, I look forward to carving pumpkins with my family for Halloween,” Avery said. “While my sister and I are carving, my dad cooks the pumpkin seeds and then we eat them together.”

While some students enjoy passing out candy to younger children and hearing the latest jokes, others are not quite ready to give up the childhood tradition of going to houses and collecting a bag of candy on their own.

Every year since he was little, freshman Cooper Durham has gone trick-or-treating on Halloween, and he will continue to follow the tradition this Halloween. “I love going trick-or-treating with my friends,” Durham said. “We always have the best time together, and I love seeing all of the costumes that people wear.”

Some Halloween traditions are unique to individual families and, while they may not relate directly to the holiday itself, they capture the vibrant spirit of the fall season.

Senior Isabella Jacobs enjoys cooking with her family. “Every year on Halloween, my whole family comes together and makes chili,” Jacobs said. My neighborhood has a competition to see who can make the best chili and it is so much fun. I look forward to it every year at the beginning of fall.”