Students Enjoy Harvard Halloween

Cardboard cutouts of bloody saws dangled from the ceiling of the elevators in New Quincy Wednesday evening. As the doors opened to the penthouse-level Masters’ Residence, a cloaked figure wielding a plastic saw jumped out—welcoming guests with a fright to the special Halloween open house.

In the dining room, plates of cookie dough eyballs, candy corn rice krispie treats, and apple pumpkin cookies surrounded a bubbling cauldron of dry ice.

Across campus, treats far outweighed tricks on Wednesday as students marked the Halloween holiday with food and festivities, from the undergraduate Houses to Memorial Church.

Several Houses marked the holiday with special study breaks and trick-or-treating between resident tutor rooms.

In Currier, tutors organized the second annual scaveger hunt trick-or-treat challenge.

“It’s really cute,” Nancy Y. Xie ’13 said just before the holiday game began. “I think I’ll partake in some of the activities, but I mostly want to thank the tutors for organizing this for us.”

Many students said they had already marked the occasion this past weekend, breaking out costumes for events including the annual Heaven and Hell party in Currier and the Freshman Dean’s Office-coordinated Scaritas and Costume Catwalk.

“I have two midterms this week, so I ate a pumpkin cookie this morning in celebration,” Abigail E. Hook ’13 said.

Breaking from the sweets-oriented streak consistent among Harvard’s other Halloween festivities, the Interfaith Council led a trick-or-treat trip through Cambridge requesting donations to Unicef.

“Service is a common ground among all of the different faiths, so it’s nice for us to come together and put work into action,” Debanjan Pain ’13, the council president, said. “We can raise money for a good cause while having a good time. Fingers crossed for no more rain.”

At Memorial Church, the Harvard Organ Society infused music into the festivities with a Wednesday evening concert.

The event, targeted specifically at drawing a freshman audience, included a reception with apple cider, candy, and seasonal snacks immediately preceding the performance.

“I’m glad that we have this event so that people can take a break from their studies and celebrate the holiday even if they’ve already celebrated it last weekend,” Zachary P. Fletcher ’15, a society member who coordinated the recital.

The excitement of Halloween had very little to do with the holiday itself for several students who visited the Harvard Square location of the Mexican restaurant Chipotle. To celebrate Halloween, the chain offersed $2 burritos to costumed customers.

“I’m so ready to have something other than Annenberg food,” Artur Meller ’16 said. “I’m pumped.”