It’s that time of year again- you see all the Halloween hype on social media and start planning the best Halloween costume - I think that costumes of Pennywise from ‘IT’ will be popular this year as if the killer clown phase wasn’t bad enough? Planning parties to go to and all the Halloween themed Pinterest ideas you will try. If you are anything like me, you’ll be emotionally invested in the idea of Halloween but will probably end up doing nothing for it.
This seems to be common and I think it might have something to do with the lack of popularity of the holiday in the UK. Halloween in the UK seems to be a bit of a low-budget side quest to tackle before people get ready for Christmas, the holiday everyone cares about. I want to know why don’t people celebrate Halloween with the same amount of enthusiasm as Christmas? I know I’m biased because Halloween is like my version of Christmas and a birthday rolled into one but still.
Halloween needs to borrow some of the hype for Christmas- image a whole month of nothing but ‘Thriller’ on the radio and all the crappy Halloween songs at the top of the charts. Why can’t there be the Halloween equivalent of the Christmas sweater- everyone could go around in huge oversized orange sweaters because they’re being pumpkins. We could have Halloween fairs and markets- selling pumpkin soup and pie.
Image Credit: Pixaby
It’s starting to sound a lot like the Harry Potter universe but that book franchise nailed Halloween- they had a whole feast dedicated to it, invited ghosts and let live bats loose upon the school. That is the quality content that I wish we could have more of. Honestly, what is not to like? It’s the only holiday where you get applauded for the scarier and more hideously you dress up. You don’t have to buy anyone obligatory gifts and you won’t be coerced into visiting all your family to be asked, yet again, ‘what’s the plan for the future?’ Nope, October is just reserved for being spooky however you want. What other holiday encourages knocking on neighbours’ doors and demanding free treat?
America seems to be the best country when it comes to Halloween - they really go all out. Every store has heaps of different Halloween decorations, and unlike in the UK they are brilliant quality, none of this tinsel and paper rubbish. It’s so frustrating when I’m buying Halloween decorations to only find garish, tacky garlands.
It would be amazing if the UK could re-vamp Halloween and make it a proper celebrated holiday.
I’m not saying that we all should bury our heads in pumpkins and watch ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ twice a day, I just think that Halloween could be made into such an enjoyable event instead of the disappointing night that it often seems to be. I know that the main thing people want to be for Halloween is exceptionally drunk - an excellent choice. But this year I think people should really go all out, dress up, buy some vampire fangs or crazy contacts, watch a way too difficult makeup tutorial, try and copy it, fail but still go out anyway. It would make Halloween that extra bit enjoyable if people put in more effort.
