The echo of parents’ voices constantly remind teens that “high school years are the best years of your life.” This creates teens to hold much higher expectations on the outcome of situations, especially around the holidays.
The charming Grosse Pointe we all know may feel underwhelming to teenagers when it comes to typical haunted house and apple orchard attractions. Those craving a spirited Halloween season may encounter the problem of time and safety, which prevents them from seasonal activities and Viviana Cilano ’26 is one of those affected.
“If we had closer Halloween appeals for teens, it would make parents and guardians way more comfortable with their kids not having to drive as far. With a bunch of kids in the car with loud music it’s definitely stressful on parents to ensure their child is safe, especially in an unfamiliar area,” Cilano said.
Some teens anticipate age-appropriate activities like thrilling haunted houses that may appeal to them more. Charlie Winkler ’27 misses the nostalgic aspect of his early childhood days, but looks forward to activities that may appeal to him more now that he’s older.
“Especially as a kid running from door to door highlights the joys of Halloween, and getting to trade candy with friends creates a lot of special memories to hold forever. It is normal for kids to grow out of the holiday spirit, but I think there are many other options for teenagers to drive to. ” Winkler said.
Fundraisers in the area like The Haunted Garage, target the majority of their advertisement towards elementary schools, while high schools are excluded. Henry Wiegand ’28 has a younger brother at home and has noticed the vast opportunity of Halloween related activities that are open to him.
“I would say for the younger kids there’s a good amount of activities such as trick or treating in the park and around stores in the Village. Again, the options become very limited for us teenagers here in Grosse Pointe,” Wiegand said.
South celebrates Halloween by giving the option of wearing a costume to school, but there is poor participation on the students behalf. Wiegand believes that it would make teenagers feel more connected to the holiday if the school took action by providing a bit more excitement to the day.
