For those who celebrate Halloween, deciding on  a costume can feel like  a monumental task. Luckily and just in time, Google released a review of the United State’s most-searched costume ideas in 2022; in its FrightGeist list, here are the most popular, interesting and pop-culturally relevant costume ideas to consider this Halloween.

Witch

Coming in at No. 1 on the FrightGeist list, the witch is a Halloween classic. There are seemingly an infinite amount of ways to dress up as a witch, and in this case, the more accessories, the better. There are also tons of popular witchy characters to draw inspiration from, such as Sabrina Spellman from the “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” (2018-2020), Elphaba from “Wicked” (2003) and the titular character from “Maleficent” (2014).

“Stranger Things”

Following the summer release of season four of Netflix’s “Strangers Things,” eccentric social-outcast Eddie Munson, played by Joseph Quinn, took the Internet by storm as one of the show’s most beloved characters. This year, Google’s FrightGeist reports “Stranger Things” as the fourth most popular costume idea — no doubt at least partially influenced by Eddie Munson’s unique sense of style and attitude in the show. With such an iconic cast, dressing up as any one of the show’s characters is surely a fun way to impress friends this Halloween.

Fairy

Fairies, like witches, are more versatile than other costume ideas. Traditional European mythology describes fairies as spiritual, supernatural beings that draw magic from the natural elements. In some depictions, they are helpful, protective creatures, and in others, they are mischievous and sinister. On the FrightGeist list, fairies ranked in at spot five — probably due in part to the September release of the popular Netflix show ‘Fate: The Winx Saga.” For a low effort look, throw on a pair of colorful wings, a matching dress and some lip gloss or eyeshadow. To enhance the costume, try incorporating flower- or plant-based accessories, glitter face paint and nature-themed, cottage core clothing.

Vampire

Vampire was the 12th most-searched costume idea this year, and for good reason. Compiling a vampiric look is a low-effort, high-reward experience with no shortage of themes to base the costume concept around. Vampire costumes typically center around gothic, black and red garments, pale or undead-like face paint and fake blood, but more modern depictions can include black leather outfits and clean, dark makeup. In all, there are decades worth of iconic vampires to emulate this Halloween, whether from “Dracula” (1931), “The Lost Boys” (1987), “Twilight” (2008) or “What We Do in the Shadows” (2014). 

The Sanderson Sisters

In light of the recent release of “Hocus Pocus 2,” many groups are choosing to dress up the Sanderson Sisters this Halloween. The antagonistic trio of witches, Winifred, Mary and Sarah, are dark magic users and are known for their hag-like appearance and satirically comedic attitudes throughout the films. With the sequel film released only a few weeks ago, “Hocus Pocus” secured a 14th place ranking on the FrightGeist list. The first film’s iconic zombie, Billy Butcherson, is also a popular costume choice.

Angel and Devil

Angel and devil costumes are a favorite for couples and best-friend pairs. Although there might not be a lot of variety in traditional depictions of these  conflicting characters, they remain classics in the world of Halloween costumes. To add flare to the look, consider adding accessories, over-the-top makeup and mythological reference or context. On the FrightGeist list, angel ranked 18th and devil ranked 27th among this year’s most popular costume ideas.

Zombie

Dressing up as a zombie is a great way to show off one’s make-up or art skills since most of the magic of this costume concept is in the undead details. Plus, with how easily recognizable it is, a zombie-esque spin can “spookify” any character. Unsurprisingly, zombies just barely missed the top 20 of the nation’s most-searched costume ideas this year. With “The Walking Dead” (2010-2022) consistently ranked among the most popular shows of the past few decades, zombies have garnered plenty of recent media attention and respect as a horror staple.

Superhero or villain

Superheroes and villains are among the most recognizable and popular Halloween costumes for all ages. Although costumes of this genre tend to be expensive or require a lot of effort, it is surely worth it to some people to spend a night as their favorite comic book character. Overall, superheroes and villains are consistently brought into mainstream media as new movies of this genre are released or remade every year. Recent movies “Thor: Love and Thunder” (2022), “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (2022) and “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021) from Marvel Studios and “Black Adam” (2022), “The Batman” (2022) and “The Suicide Squad” (2021) from DC Films have superheroes and villains on many fans’ minds this Halloween. This year, Spider-man secured 2nd place on the FrightGeist list, followed by Harley Quinn in 10th, Batman in 19th and the general term “superhero” in 23rd place.

Sheet Ghost

As an honorable mention, the sheet ghost costume is a last-minute go-to for those with a sense of humor. In all, the only thing needed for this look is a white sheet with eye holes cut out — glasses or a hat can be added to increase comedic value. A popular portrayal of this costume was in the horror-comedy “Beetlejuice” (1988) when ghosts Barbara and Adam unsuccessfully attempt to scare Lydia away. The general term “ghost” ranked 25th place in the FrightGeist list.

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While many ghost stories consist of a bunch of circumstantial evidence with no real cause, some are a little more factual. The appeal of ghost stories heightens around Halloween when it appears that the supernatural might be brought to life. 

One such ghost story that takes place in our own little state of Missouri occurs in Wildwood – a city just outside of St. Louis. This tale is full of legends, death and some apparent evidence that one may not wish to dwell too long at night on Zombie Road. Originally called Lawler-Ford Road, it was built in the 1860s and follows the train tracks to the Meramec River. The road has since been repaved and is now called Rocky Hollow trail where bikers and joggers can exercise, but many are still wary to be anywhere near the area. 

The trail sits on top of an old Native American burial ground and winds through two miles of dense woods. The trail was also used as a path for soldiers in the Civil War and was the site of railroad accidents and various mysterious disappearances. All of this has created the legends surrounding the trail today. One of the most compelling legends tells of a figure that appears around the railroad tracks. This figure is rumored to be the soul of someone struck and killed by a train. In fact, there was someone who was actually struck and killed by a train in that spot.

Della McCullough was a woman that lived in the area in the late 1800s and was killed by a train on Lawler-Ford Road in 1876. This is the only record from the area of a person being hit by a train at this time so this legend might be true. It’s also possible that others fell prey to the trains but that we don’t have this documentation. Many trains derailed here as the tracks surrounding the area were sharp and often bent. 

The area surrounding the trail also used to be a small resort community that fell into disrepair around the 1940s. Now, abandoned homes line the trail adding to the spooky factor. Some people have said that they have seen figures going in and out of the homes and have even heard someone yelling at them. 

In the late 1950s, the trail and railroad tracks had fallen into great disrepair, and it became a popular spot for young couples to hang out. It was at this time a rumor that many had disappeared without a trace at the hands of a crazed escaped killer nicknamed “The Zombie Killer” began to form – and the legendary name of Zombie Road was born. There is no evidence at all that these killings took place, and there is no evidence that any escapes from mental institutions occurred.  

Today, the trail is closed at night, and you can even receive a fine if you’re caught trespassing. Perhaps the creepiest feature of Zombie Road is that individuals still report seeing multiple shadowy figures, hearing unexplained footsteps in the forest and on the trail and feeling like they’re being watched. The fact that these things are happening today in daylight might lend some credibility to the theory that the area is haunted. 

While there is mostly circumstantial evidence that the area on and around the trail is haunted, the large amount of historical significance, tragedies and abandonment surrounding the area all leads to a perfect concoction for a potential haunting site. The real factual evidence, such as that of Della McCullough, provides a detail that makes one wonder whether every account is true. 

The wooded area is often chilly and dark even during the day and as you think about all that has happened here over the years, you might begin to feel a small chill run up one’s spine. The trail is used frequently during the day, and many who don’t believe in the paranormal appear to not think too much of the spooky legends here. It might just be that when your headphones are in and you’re running along, you don’t notice the dark figure standing behind that tree or hear the footsteps creeping up behind you when no one is there. 

Whether or not you choose to believe that Zombie Road is haunted, I think that the evidence here lends to at least a decent bedtime story to give kids a little wariness about what goes bump in the night. It’s most likely nothing, but what if it’s not? Ghost stories allow us to indulge in the supernatural and let us wonder: What if it’s real?