Halloween, a Celtic holiday originating in England, is a festive day celebrated in many countries, especially in the United States.
Here, it is a major commercial and community celebration based on the creativity of costumes and traditions, with perhaps the most famous being “trick-or-treating.” Stores start their well-known Halloween promotions as early as mid-September, houses begin to be decorated and advertisements flood in to announce this big event.
During the month of October, seemingly everything becomes Halloween-themed. There are classic Halloween movies and songs, themed snacks and drinks, and the constant go-to question: what are you going to be for Halloween?
In the U.S., dressing up is perhaps what the holiday is most known for today. Everyone has a story about a favorite costume, their first costume, a time a costume went wrong etc. As soon as the season starts, the hunt for a great costume begins. This tradition is one that everyone can enjoy; people of all ages can dress up themselves or find amusement in the costumes of others.
Additionally, in the U.S., there is a huge social component to the holiday. For children, this comes through trick or treating in a neighborhood and physically walking up to those with candy to say, “trick or treat.” As one gets older, Halloween becomes a major weekend for going to or throwing parties, going to local bars or finding some other way to engage in the day beyond trick or treating. This aspect, along with the buying of costumes, candy and decorations, creates a spike in U.S. consumer spending.
In France, Halloween is a holiday whose concept does not seem to appeal to many people and is often perceived as “too American.” Instead, Halloween is celebrated in a more modest way and is more focused on horror.
Although it is still not widely practiced, the holiday is gaining popularity among young people influenced by Hollywood culture and American marketing. This tradition is slowly starting to integrate into customs but remains limited to pumpkin decorations and a few parties with friends. The upcoming generations are also beginning to adopt this tradition, which will probably still need many years before becoming a true social custom.
With the way that Halloween is marketed seemingly everywhere in October and is loved by so many people in the U.S., it is thought-provoking to consider that this is just one experience of the holiday. People all across the world have different relationships to this day, and it’s interesting to see how they overlap and differ at the same time.
