I’ll always be the first to welcome the simple pleasures of pumpkin spice lattes, Autumn candles, and the chunky knit cardigans that come along with the change of the season, yet I find myself questioning whether boo baskets carry the same balance of excitement and practicality. Popularized by couples making the baskets for one another on TikTok, boo baskets can contain anything mildly considered Autumnal and ‘spooky’ to fit with the Halloween theme; most commonly we see sweets, mugs, blankets, decorations, socks, plushies, and everything else in between.
The issue I find most frustrating with this new trend is the blatant marketing tactics that so many couples have fallen for, yes buying gifts for your loved ones is a sweet gesture, but do they really need fifteen different items jumbled together in a basket (that you’re never actually going to use again)? Buying the odd Autumnal gift isn’t going to harm anyone and is definitely a nice thought but I feel buying strongly marketed rubbish just because it’s decorated with pumpkins and ghosts- all to bulk out the large basket you bought- does nothing but fuel our consumerist culture, push the capitalist narrative and spur marketing departments on further.
If the items in these trending boo baskets get their fair share of use and appreciation then I understand the intentions behind it, but considering the most-wasteful holiday of all, Christmas, is less than two months after Halloween… is another gift-giving tradition really needed? If the strength of your relationship is tested on yet another consumerist trend and whether or not they make you a basket (and if it’s up to standard), then I think the issue lies more in overconsumption habits and the control the marketing industry has over us all as individuals.
In short, the idea of a cutesy Halloween basket is sweet and if this is something you want to participate in then go for it, but please save your money- as well as the planet- by not buying pointless unusable things that will ultimately end up in the bin. And if you’re strong enough, hold off the peer pressure of consumerism and gift your boo with gifts they would really use whatever the season is.
