Is Halloween Becoming the New Christmas?
With the UK going “code orange” in the middle of summer, and Halloween and autumnal decorations becoming staple ranges across so many brands, is Halloween becoming the new Christmas?
It feels like we’re having a familiar conversation all over again. Products are arriving in stores sooner, decorations are going up earlier, and the excitement around a seasonal celebration seems to be starting earlier every year.
But I’m not sure that’s necessarily a bad thing.
As someone who loves Halloween, autumn and all things spooky, I love seeing the season embraced in so many different ways. From gothic homeware and pumpkin picking to horror films, spooky books and Halloween events. There’s so much more to enjoy than just one night of the year.
But, much like Christmas, I also wonder whether we’re reaching a point where the excitement comes with a little more pressure than it used to.
In this Thursday Thought, I want to explore how Halloween has become more than just one spooky night. The things I love about that change, and the parts I think we could do without.
The Rise of Halloween Home Décor and Seasonal Shopping
One of the things I love about Halloween becoming more popular is the variety of decorations and homeware now available.
Halloween has always had a certain aesthetic. But it’s also a time when brands seem more willing to embrace alternative styles. Think gothic ornaments, dark florals, black candles, and quirky accessories. Décor that feels a little more dramatic than your usual high-street homeware.
And the best part? Not all of it has to be Halloween-specific.
I love seeing products that embrace that darker, more alternative style without having pumpkins, ghosts or the word “Halloween” plastered across them. These are the sorts of things you can keep in your home all year round. Rather than packing them away as soon as November arrives.
For people who love gothic interiors or a slightly spooky aesthetic, Halloween ranges can offer more opportunities to find pieces that reflect their personal style. And I think that’s brilliant. But there’s another side to all this seasonal shopping.
As Halloween becomes more visible, there’s a growing possibility that decorating starts to feel less like something you want to do and more like something you’re expected to do.
Perhaps you see your friends and family decorating their homes, or your social media feed fills with elaborate displays. Suddenly your own home feels as though it’s missing something. Maybe you have children who come home talking about their friends’ Halloween decorations and wondering why your house doesn’t look the same.
It might seem like a small thing, but these expectations can create pressure. And for families who would love to decorate but don’t have the money to spend on seasonal products, that pressure can feel particularly heavy.
Of course, you don’t need to spend money to celebrate Halloween. Homemade decorations, paper bats, carved pumpkins and a little creativity can go a long way. But when so much of the conversation revolves around what people are buying and how their homes look, it’s easy to forget that.
I think there’s a real opportunity here for brands to embrace Halloween décor that isn’t tied to a single occasion. Make those alternative styles more accessible. Offer products that can be enjoyed throughout the year. And celebrate creativity rather than encouraging people to replace their decorations every season.
And perhaps we can enjoy seeing Halloween products arrive in stores early without immediately turning it into another debate. After all, if someone wants to put up their Halloween decorations in August, why shouldn’t they? And if someone doesn’t want to decorate at all, that should be just as acceptable.
Are We Creating Memories or Chasing the Aesthetic?
For me, some of the best things about Halloween have very little to do with how anything looks.
They’re the memories we make. Carving pumpkins, watching spooky films, reading gothic literature, and spending dark autumn evenings telling ghost stories. It’s the anticipation of Halloween approaching and the little traditions that make the season feel special.
But I do sometimes wonder whether the way we celebrate Halloween is becoming increasingly influenced by a particular aesthetic. Especially the American Halloween imagery we’ve seen in films, television and social media.
Growing up, some of my favourite Halloween memories involved seeing children dressed in whatever they could put together. A black bin bag, a witch’s hat, perhaps a little face paint, and suddenly you were ready to go.
There was something lovely about that simplicity. You didn’t need the perfect costume or every accessory to join in. You just needed a little imagination.
Today, costumes can be incredibly elaborate. From professionally made outfits and character-accurate accessories and detailed wigs. To impressive special-effects makeup, and the creativity on display can be amazing.
And I want to be clear: I love seeing people go all out for Halloween. I love seeing people get creative with their costumes. Whether they’re making something themselves or spending hours putting together a look they’re excited about. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to dress up as your favourite character and getting every detail just right.
But I also recognise that this can come at a cost.
When elaborate costumes become the standard we see online, it can make a simple homemade outfit feel as though it isn’t enough. Parents may feel pressure to buy the right costume. To find all the accessories and recreate a look their child has seen on social media. Even when money is tight.
And sometimes, I wonder whether we’re prioritising the appearance of a perfect Halloween over the experience itself.
This is something I think about when I see families dressing up together. I absolutely adore coordinated family costumes, especially when everyone is genuinely excited about the theme. A whole family dressed as characters from The Wizard of Oz or a favourite Disney film? I think that’s wonderful.
But social media has also made me more conscious of the possibility that, sometimes, the photograph becomes the priority. You occasionally see a video or photograph and wonder whether the child really wanted to wear that costume. Or whether the adults were more invested in creating the perfect picture.
Of course, we can’t know what happens behind the scenes of someone else’s family. And a photograph rarely tells the whole story. But it does make me think about the difference between creating a memory and creating an image of what we think that memory should look like.
I don’t think Halloween needs to look perfect to be special.
Sometimes, the costume that doesn’t quite fit, the wonky pumpkin carving or the decorations that don’t match are the things we remember most fondly. They’re part of the fun, and often the stories we laugh about years later.
I’d much rather see people enjoying Halloween in a way that works for them than feeling they have to compete. Esepcially with an aesthetic.
From One Spooky Night to an Entire Spooky Season
Now, this is where I have very few complaints!
I absolutely love that Halloween has grown into an entire season rather than being limited to one night in October. In fact, this might be one of my favourite changes.
As someone who loves books, I could hardly fit all my spooky reading into a single evening. Or even a single week. There are so many horror novels, gothic stories, thrillers and supernatural reads that I want to explore. Starting my spooky reading in September and carrying it through to mid-November feels perfectly reasonable to me.
It’s also why I love taking part in reading events such as Summerween. There’s something special about finding a community of people who share that excitement.
And it’s not just books.
There’s so much Halloween-related entertainment to enjoy. From television specials and classic films to new horror releases, themed events and spooky nights out. We can technically watch or read most of these things at any time of the year. But there’s something different about experiencing them when the season is approaching.
It’s the shared anticipation. The feeling that other people are getting excited about the same things. Those conversations about horror films and Halloween plans are suddenly everywhere. And that the darker evenings make everything feel just a little more atmospheric. I love that.
I don’t think we need to limit ourselves to one day of the year when there’s so much creativity, entertainment and enjoyment to be found in the weeks surrounding it.
And unlike some of the other aspects of Halloween, I don’t necessarily see a problem with the season starting earlier. If someone wants to start reading spooky books in August, watch their favourite Halloween films in September or decorate their home before October arrives, let them!
Not every seasonal activity needs to follow the same calendar. Sometimes, having something to look forward to is part of what makes it enjoyable.
The only thing I’d hope is that we don’t turn that extended season into another expectation. There’s a difference between having more time to enjoy Halloween and feeling as though you have to make the most of every single day.
Are We Expected to Spend Money on Halloween?
My immediate answer would be no. Of course we’re not expected to spend money on Halloween. But I think the reality is a little more complicated than that.
We’ve already touched on decorations and costumes, but Halloween has grown into an occasion with so many different ways to spend money. There are Halloween parties, themed nights out, fright nights, ghost tours, immersive experiences, shows and plays, pumpkin-picking trips and elaborate seasonal events.
And then there’s the rise of Halloween gifting.
Boo baskets, for example. They have become a fun way to surprise friends, family members and loved ones with a collection of seasonal treats and gifts. I can absolutely see the appeal. I love spoiling the people I care about. And putting together something thoughtful for someone can be a lovely way to celebrate the season.
But I also think it’s worth asking when something that starts as a fun idea begins to feel like another obligation.
If your friends are exchanging boo baskets, do you feel you should put one together in return? If everyone is organising Halloween parties or booking expensive experiences, do you feel as though you’re missing out if you don’t join in?
Even when nobody explicitly asks you to participate, the visibility of these activities can create an expectation that you should.
And for people who enjoy celebrating Halloween but have limited disposable income, that can be difficult. The cost of living doesn’t disappear just because the calendar says it’s time to celebrate.
I also think about children here. We want to make their childhood magical, and, understandably, parents want to give them exciting experiences and happy memories. But there’s a fine line between doing something because it will genuinely bring joy and feeling that you have to do it.
You don’t need to book an expensive Halloween attraction, or buy a new costume every year. Or now, fill a basket with gifts to make the occasion special. A spooky film night at home, homemade decorations, a walk to admire the neighbourhood’s displays can be just as memorable.
And if you want to go all out, that’s wonderful, too.
I love the idea of Halloween bringing people together, whether that’s through gifting, parties or shared experiences. I just don’t want those traditions to become another source of pressure. Particularly when the expectation to reciprocate can make people feel uncomfortable.
I’d love us to remember that thoughtful gestures are most enjoyable when they’re freely given. Rather than something we feel obliged to return. Celebrating Halloween shouldn’t be measured by how much money we spend, how many events we attend or how impressive our plans look to other people.
A Halloween Thursday Thought
So, is Halloween becoming the new Christmas? In some ways, I think it is. The earlier product launches, the growing range of seasonal décor, the themed experiences and the pressure that can come with wanting to make the occasion special all feel increasingly familiar.
But I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.
I love that Halloween has become something people can embrace in their own way. Whether that’s through gothic home décor, spooky reading, horror films, elaborate costumes, or simply enjoying the atmosphere of autumn. I love that there’s a growing community of people who are happy to celebrate the season for weeks rather than just one night.
What I’d like to see is a little less pressure attached to it.
I’d love us to embrace the creativity without feeling that we need to buy everything. To enjoy the costumes without turning them into a competition. To make memories without worrying about whether they look good on social media. And to attend events and decorate our homes because we genuinely want to, not because we feel we have to.
Perhaps that’s the real question. Not whether Halloween is becoming the new Christmas, but whether we can allow it to grow without turning it into another occasion where people feel they’re not doing enough.
Because Halloween doesn’t need to be expensive, elaborate or picture-perfect to be magical. Sometimes, all you need is a dark evening, a good spooky film, a book that keeps you turning the pages and a little imagination.
What do you think?
Is Halloween becoming the new Christmas? Do you love seeing the season grow? And where do you think we should draw the line between embracing the fun and creating unnecessary pressure?
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As always, thanks for reading…
