When the end of September draws closer, a large majority of people start to get very excited for a frightening season to emerge. This season is autumn, fall, the one where the leaves change; popularly known as "spooky season." Why do people get so excited about this certain time of the year? Is it gaining even more popularity than the ever-so-popular, "holiday season," consisting of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and other holidays that fall in the months of November and December? The spooky season seems to be gaining popularity by the minute and let's try to figure out why that is.

Halloween was always considered the holiday of mischief, evil spirits, and amazingly terrifying horror films, but the month of October proceeding the holiday at the end of the month never was considered a season before this terrifying celebration. Recently, people all across the United States have been referring to Octobers' commencement as spooky season. Although many people love Halloween and the entire month of October, this is the most well-known that this term has really ever been. It's popularity throughout the past few weeks of preparation and insane. It raises the question, is Spooky Season the new Holiday Season?

Unfortunately, I cannot answer that question based on fact, but I definitely can give you the opinion of a girl who likes to think of herself as this spooky season's biggest fan. To answer the above question, no, I do not think that this season of spooks and mystery isn't taking the spotlight of the Holiday Season, nor is it attempting to. I think that the creation of spooky season is an attempt to give more recognition to a more peculiar obscure holiday that a large part of the population seems to enjoy. Halloween is one of the few holidays that is not religiously affiliated, nor is religion part of the history of this celebration of spooky stories and characters,

Not only is the "no religion required" label an effective way to draw people into the holiday, but the unconventional aspects are a strong attribute contributing to its popularity too. The weird concepts, different world or realities, and supernatural characters create a world open to so many different interpretations, including everyone identifying with any different type of background, religion, or culture. By preaching inclusivity and eccentric ways of thinking, the holiday already appeals to a plethora of people and it is fairly obvious why the public has hopped onto the "Spooky Season" trend this start of fall.

Spooky season is in no way even comparable to the Holiday season in that it doesn't intend to celebrate religious affiliated holidays, which are also amazing holidays to take part in celebrating. Spooky Season attempts to call the affirmation to the season of Halloween and the season of unique and eccentric people coming out of their shell and feeling like they can truly be themselves. This season encourages people to love the kind of content they love, whether that is unconventional horror movies, wizarding worlds and a bunch of witches' book of spells that comes to life after a virgin lights a candle. It is not so much the name of the season or the recent popularity it has gained, but what the name represents for inclusivity everywhere. The season is meant to unite people from everywhere: religious or non-religious, conventional or unconventional, and eccentric or melancholy. All people can openly celebrate in the all-inclusive season of October, otherwise known as, Spooky Season. I sure know I do!