Halloween brings excitement as it approaches. Ancient festivals and rituals honoring the dead are now fun celebrations marked by costumes and candy.
Over the years, it has morphed into a celebration highlighting candy, costumes and consumerism.
It’s hard to ignore how commercial interests have taken the lead. Has this taken away from the spirit of enjoying the holiday with family and friends?
It’s a mixture of both. At times, it seems as if the holidays have become more about profit than about community and traditions. Many festive occasions prioritize spending over connections, reducing the cheer of these traditions to mere shopping experiences.
The modern world has shifted its focus from the essence of Halloween as well as the other holidays making it more commercialized with how they can make money.
Money is always an incentive for people to take advantage of something.
Stores begin stocking shelves with merchandise as early as late August. The number of options for costumes and themed decor can be overwhelming, especially with it being overpriced. People nowadays don’t necessarily have extra money they can spend on things like this.
There are even pop-up stores that only sell items related to that holiday season. The quality of these items are often cheaply made leading to plenty of products being discarded after the season, contributing to waste. Many are designed to be what’s trendy or themed for that year, tempting people to buy new stuff regularly.
Retailers capitalize off the excitement by promoting mass-produced costumes, leaving little room for individual creativity. Most of the time the costumes are what’s popular that year. The top costumes of this year are the Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfits that are almost identical to the official ones they wear during games.
Families and friends find joy in wearing costumes and partaking in the festive activities. Halloween brings out creativity, community and tradition. This helps with making lifelong memories.
The community aspect of holidays is what makes our bonds stronger today, allowing us to overlook consumerism.
Trick or treating, themed parties and DIY costumes can help keep the sense of togetherness. Pumpkin patches and haunted houses might cost money, but superficial buy-ins still manage to keep the lore and magic alive.
All October long, people can display their quirky side without judgment by picking and dressing like their chosen characters. At times, costumes can become expensive with all the accessories added, causing stress. The fun and creativity that comes from crafting the perfect costume can often outweigh the cost.
When individuals assemble to create experiences focused on sharing, supporting and celebrating Halloween, it becomes an enchanting occasion instead of a consumer holiday. This can also be said about Thanksgiving and Christmas.
While commercialization can have its benefits, it often distracts from the deeper meaning of these holidays. By prioritizing experiences over material goods, families can find plenty of creative ways to cut costs while still being able to enjoy the festivities.
It might overshadow the true meaning of Halloween and other holidays, but the spirit remains alive by connecting with others and showing creativity. The nature of the holidays can still thrive without buying into commercial pressures.
The magic of Halloween isn’t only in decorations, costumes and candy, but in the joy of memories filled with laughter, friendship and genuine delight.
