Halloween? Or an international day of self-expression?
The meaning of Halloween is changing for many around the world.
There’s no doubt that Halloween has gained immense popularity in Asia. Growing up in Asia, Halloween has always been one of my favorite parts of Western culture. My love for Halloween began with a special childhood memory.
In my kindergarten, on a kid’s birthday, their parents would bring a treat for everyone in the class to celebrate together. Since my birthday is very close to Halloween, I remember one birthday in kindergarten when my mom ordered over twenty delicious little pumpkin-shaped cupcakes and handed them out to my classmates and teachers. That day, we celebrated both my birthday and an early Halloween together. This lovely memory was my first impression of what Halloween looked like.
As a child, I believed Halloween was all about colorful candy, orange pumpkins, tattered black-and-white ghosts, and purple witch hats. But as I grew older, I realized that Halloween meant more than just these items. Wearing a Halloween costume was no longer solely about being spooky; it became a means of self-expression and even a reflection of one’s own culture, or the culture they are passionate about.
Last year, I was pondering what costume to wear when an idea struck me: why not dress as Yayoi Kusama, my favorite artist? All I needed was to buy a pink wig from Amazon, cut out lots of round shapes from colored paper, and stick them on my body to mimic her iconic art style. My costume made me realize that Halloween costumes aren’t just about scaring people anymore.
People’s Halloween costumes are increasingly vibrant and diverse. Some meticulously recreate their favorite anime or movie characters, while others turn their attention to imitating some controversial political figures or internet memes to make a satirical point. Halloween seems less like a horror fest and more like a playful cosplay convention, with a dash of horror, glamor, and humor, without any fear of judgment or embarrassment. It’s evolved into what I see as a “self-expression day,” especially for the younger generations.
Last year’s Halloween parade in Shanghai went viral online, showcasing how the Western holiday has become a joyful and creative celebration for people in different cultural contexts. Beyond the traditional scary costumes, participants dressed in playful, satirical, and even absurd ways. For instance, someone dressed as a notorious influencer known for tax evasion, mocking his public excuses. Others wore ridiculous, oversized meme-inspired costumes, and some even walked their pet geese with a special made costume on the streets. One particularly memorable moment was when a traffic officer who was maintaining the parade had to clarify to the crowd, “I’m not in cosplay — I’m a real cop!” alongside all the festivities.
Beyond the humor and satire, some young Chinese people creatively fused elements of traditional Chinese culture with Halloween aesthetics. They paired the iconic Peking Opera characters with realistic, bloodied vampire fangs, or reimagined characters from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West with a spooky twist.
As an international student, I’m learning to adapt to Canadian culture while staying connected to my Chinese roots. Seeing the Shanghai Halloween parade made me genuinely happy — it was thrilling to see how two vastly different cultures could blend so seamlessly, creating something new and meaningful in the process. I believe this trend reveals a strong desire for self-expression and a strong indication of cultural confidence in modern days. Instead of conforming to traditional spooky themes, people now have the freedom to decide how they want to present themselves on Halloween — whether it’s cute, cool, sexy, scary, crazy, or quiet.
In my opinion, this diversity and inclusivity make Halloween a holiday that has incredible artistic value. People from different cultural backgrounds come together and use their costumes to showcase either their national pride or their confidence in various other cultures and styles. This is why Halloween will always remain popular. It’s a celebration of culture and humanity, one that will continue to thrive as new cultural trends actively emerge in our globalized society.
Photos Editor (Volume 51) — Sara is in her final year, double majoring Art and Art History and CCIT. Sara is an art enthusiast who loves art making, music, and photography. Her current works mainly consist of small, yet colorful, abstract paintings. Sara hopes to become an influential artist. If you’re interested in her artistic world, please visit her Instagram at: saralisara33. While commuting, she enjoys her diverse playlist, including alternative rock, R&B, and K-pop, with her favorite artist being Keshi. She loves using her camera to create aesthetic images while capturing real-life moments. This is her first time as a photo editor for a newspaper, and she hopes to contribute great photos to the Medium.