The fall season is arriving and along with it, cultural events that are rich in history and significance. Many of these events are celebrated by the diverse collection of students and staff here at Champe.
Some events include Halloween, which occurs on the last day of October; Diwali, which occurs between mid October and mid November; and Thanksgiving, which occurs on the third Thursday in November. Though these holidays each have a different heritage and celebrate different things, they all serve to bring people together. Both historical and personal traditions associated with these holidays are meant to be celebrated with loved ones.
“My sister and I love watching Nightmare before Christmas, Hocus Pocus, and other spooky movies to prepare for the season,” English teacher Jessica Spencer said. “It’s a way we can spend time with each other despite our busy schedules.”
Halloween originated 2,000 years ago as a Celtic celebration to welcome the harvest at the end of the summer and ward off ghosts by wearing costumes and lighting bonfires. Today, it has morphed into an event where children dress up as their favorite characters and go door to door collecting candy along with friends. This tradition is known as trick or treating.
“I just have a lot of good memories of childhood and being able to dress up and go trick or treating with friends, ” Spencer said. “One year in particular, my mom actually made me a costume, which is really special.”
Another fall holiday is Diwali, also known as Deepavali, which is a Hindu festival that celebrates a multitude of events in Indian mythology. Overall, it celebrates the triumph of good over evil. During this event, Hindus pray, wear traditional clothing, make desserts, and decorate their houses with clay lamps known as deepas or diyas. In fact, the name Deepavali means “row of lights” in Sanskrit. The final event of the night is fireworks. Fireworks symbolize the idea that light always prevails over darkness. People get together with neighbors, friends, and families and enjoy the colorful displays of light.
“My favorite tradition associated with Diwali is lighting firecrackers,” sophomore Sahana Senthilkumar said. “It’s the most fun part of the holiday because everyone goes out onto the road and lights the firecrackers together.”
Thanksgiving is a holiday that involves traditions with loved ones as well. The first American Thanksgiving dinner took place in the fall of 1621 when native Wampanoag people celebrated the harvest with English colonists known as Pilgrims. In Canada, the tradition can be traced back to 1578 when a man named Martin Frobisher celebrated his successful expedition to the Americas. Today, it is a time to be grateful and spend time with friends and family. Traditionally, it is celebrated with a turkey dinner, but people have their own twists on the tradition too.
“Me and my cousins have this personal tradition where we make dessert for Thanksgiving dinner,” sophomore Sriharsha Cherukuri said. “It never ends well, so we have to buy a backup dessert to eat.”
The holidays are time to celebrate things that make life better. However, though having fun with friends, celebrating justice, or taking time to appreciate what we have, it is clear that it is more memorable when done with loved ones. Each of these events have different origins and different traditions associated with them, but it is important to recognize that one thing they have in common is that they bring family, friends, and community closer together.
“This time of the year is really special to me because I get to see my whole family in one place together,” Cherukuri said. “Having a meal together and connecting with my cousins is something that I’ll always cherish.”
