For most, Halloween means trick or treating and dressing in costume, but for those who do not celebrate the holiday, it has a different meaning.

While some students may not celebrate Halloween due to religious reasons, others avoid the celebration for financial reasons.

Many Christian and Catholic families don’t celebrate Halloween for religious reasons.

Sophomore Alan Enriquez said he does nothing out of the ordinary on the day of Halloween.

“It is said to be the devil’s birthday and it’s a day when a bunch of people make sacrifices to the devil,” Enriquez said.

Enriquez has no regrets about skipping Halloween and all that goes with it.

“I didn’t feel left out because I knew why we didn’t celebrate it,” Enriquez said. “I wouldn’t celebrate Halloween with my own family.”

Some students don’t participate in Halloween specifically for financial reasons.

“One year during Halloween, we couldn’t afford a costume so I got clothes that didn’t fit me and tore them up and put red Kool-Aid all over them,” sophomore Eythun Wyatt said. “I was supposed to be a zombie.”

Wyatt said he has never had enough money to buy candy to hand out to kids, and has only been to two Halloween related activities—that have cost money—in his life.

An estimated 179 million Americans were expected to partake in Halloween festivities, the National Retail Federation reported.

Consumers were expected to spend $9.1 billion for Halloween in 2017, up from $8.4 billion in 2016. People were expected to spend approximately $2.7 billion on candy, $3.4 billion on costumes, and an additional $2.7 billion on home decor.

“Halloween can be financially challenging, but you can get creative and still find ways to join in if you want.” Wyatt said.

21mmcbride@usd489.com