Pro: Almost a crime
Photo by Sumaya Suber
November 20, 2021
My first ever Halloween celebration was in Kindergarten. Throughout the day, I watched as kids who I had considered my ‘bestest friends’ whispered about me. Whispered about how I wasn’t wearing a costume, about how weird it was.
When parents came that day to prepare their children for the Halloween parade, they whispered to their parents about how I was the only girl in the entire class who wasn’t dressed up. Some parents looked at me in pity, some looked at me just as strangely as their children had. None of them made an effort towards telling their kid that they were being rude, or to lower their tone.
I went home early that day.
Right before the parade.
As I sat there waiting for my mother, I wondered what could’ve possibly made the other kids want to exclude me. Sure, I hadn’t worn a costume that day, but I never did on other days, either. Why did they exclude me this time? I was confused, upset and most of all left out of one of the biggest class celebrations that year.
When I got in the car, I remember telling her how I thought they were weird for wearing costumes.
So when the district announced an end to Halloween celebrations for elementary schools, I was relieved for myself and my two sisters, who are three and six.
For people like myself and others who don’t celebrate such holidays, it seems that when the time comes around there is simply nothing to enjoy. When you don’t understand the point behind an annual celebration, or you don’t have the means to enjoy said holiday, what can you enjoy?
After that year, I never went to another Halloween celebration at school again. Sometimes I would get picked up early from school, right before the parade. Usually
though, I would find myself staying at home all day. The most I ever heard about Halloween afterwards was how trick or treating went for other students.
I can go on and on about how the celebrations of Halloween and Valentine’s day exclude more individuals than myself . More specifically, other Muslim students. The holi- day directly contradicts my religion. As Muslims, we cannot eat anything containing pork. Pork, including gelatin and a food coloring called yellow #5 that also contains pork. Many candies include gelatin or this coloring, making it almost impossible to eat most of what is passed out.
It seems as if it’s almost a crime to not take a part in the holidays, especially to the kids who don’t celebrate them.
At the end of the day, the decision has been made. I believe that this decision was made for a reason. A reason on the behalf of me and other kids. A reason that I hope one day, will contribute to kids not feeling left out at East Lansing.
