America And The Commercialization Of Halloween
Although some places in the U.S. don’t really celebrate Halloween, it is still one of the most famous holidays in the country. When it comes to commercial potential, Halloween is just behind Christmas in popularity and commercial potential.
Commercial value
Halloween is well-liked by children and adults. There is also a broad assortment of adult activities for Halloween. Ever since a columnist of New York Times declared the world flat, international parades such as The Greenwich Village Halloween parade draws more than one million individuals per year.
Events such as this one contributes positively to the economy. The amount varies from every year, but there was a particular year wherein Greenwich Village Halloween parade raked in sixty million dollars. Due to the high market viability and benefits that these events bring to the community, even religious organizations keep a blind eye on the festivities.
America and Canada
In Canada, the Halloween festivities have been estimated to produce about $700 million. In the United States, it has been estimated that each American family spends about $45 or even more for Halloween-related products and events. For wealthier twenty-something employees, the figure becomes bigger.
The whole figure for the United States economy amounts to about $6.8 billion. The products that often make a large profit during Halloween are:
- Candy
- Costumes
- Cards
- Party materials
Stress relief
Halloween isn’t just about costumes and candies. For some, Halloween is a great time to let go of accumulated stress. Halloween is a great time for people to go to rave parties, drink all night, let off some steam, and just relax.
Ultimately, it is safe to say that Halloween continues to be celebrated mainly because of the adult appropriation of the celebration. Without the commercialization of the celebration, it would’ve most likely been forgotten. With all the negative aspects of its origin, it seems that this ancient-rooted celebration will only survive in the modern times by associating it with more acceptable and enjoyable aspects of life.
Problems
The annual Halloween celebration somehow conflicts with the conservative and religious principles. This is mainly due to two very sensitive and controversial issues:
- Homosexuality
- Alcohol use
Homosexuality is a factor because of the celebration of same sex relationships. For the alcohol factor, alcohol is almost always present on adult celebrations. In all-nighters and rave parties, free flowing beer is very much appreciated.
When people are intoxicated, they lose their inhibitions. This means that rational thinking goes out of the door. It is a fact that Halloween parties are not very wholesome. Halloween seems to be the complete opposite of the Christmas season.
The stronghold of Halloween is still North America; however, this does not mean that it’s not being exported to the global south. It’s not unusual to see countries with no mass memory of the celebration to start buying Halloween-themed products and commodities.
In the United Kingdom, there is a move to renew the popularity of Halloween through masks, candies and events like the Bonfire Night.
Tags: Halloween