Why Halloween is a Holiday Favorite

CLEVELAND - Halloween may not be until the end of the month, but some people have already started decorating and picking out their costumes.

The holiday is clearly a favorite for many – but why is that?

“I think that people love Halloween because it gives us the opportunity to dress up and everyone can be a kid. Everyone can be their favorite character, whether it's a scary character or a funny character. And Halloween allows us to bond and connect with the people in our neighborhood that typically throughout the year we probably don't get that chance to do,” said Chivonna Childs, PhD, psychologist at Cleveland Clinic. 

Dr. Childs said Halloween decorations have also become much more elaborate, which probably entices more people to want to take part.

They can transform their yard into something spooky or scary, or even keep it more lighthearted and friendly for the kids.

Speaking of kids, she said the holiday can make us feel nostalgic.

We remember when we were little and got to run around the neighborhood going door-to-door for candy.

There’s also the fear factorthat’s appealing.

“The haunted houses and the hayrides, and going to the corn mazes and getting lost, all of that adds to the nostalgia of having fun and being scared and loving fear. And the thing about loving fear is it's a controlled fear. This isn't a fear that somebody'sactually coming to get us that we don't know who it is, or what's going to happen, or this is a real thing. We know that this is play. We know that this is a façade,” she explained. 

Dr. Childs doesn’t think there’s any harm in people decorating early for Halloween.

She points out that it’s no different than what others do ahead of Christmas.