2.1 min. read
Heard an interesting conversation on the car radio while on my morning errands… The host asked callers, “Do you still ‘celebrate’ Hallowe’en? And if so, in what ways?” Their answers made me feel old. But not at all sad… Is it time to ‘demote’ Hallowe’en?
A massive supermarket Hallowe’en treats display of yesteryear…
Many (a distinct majority) said they don’t. Not at all. No trick-or-treating, no costumes, no front yard decorations, no partying, no special foods or recipes.The majority of them agreed that Hallowe’en ‘died’ for them over the COVID crisis. And by the time the pandemic had passed, it was widely deemed too dangerous to let your kids go door to door, anymore.
But the candy and snack makers are trying their best to keep the annual observance alive. There were fully-stocked shelves of candy bars, chips and other Hallowe’en goodies in the ‘seasonal’ section of my go-to supermarket until two days ago – Thursday, ‘Government Payday’ in an over-whelmingly ‘Government’ town – when the vast majority of folks do their weekly grocery shopping.
When I dropped in to grab a coffee from the ‘Café’ corner yesterday morning, the same shelves were only a little more than half empty.
What happened?
When I asked one of my ‘friendly’ cashiers what happened, she said a lot of folks had come in later yesterday and first thing that day – lined up waiting for the doors to open – and bought nothing BUT Hallowe’en hand-outs… Demographically, many of those appeared to be Gen Xers or Younger Boom-ers. Nobody would think twice if it was only the older crowd (mainly retirees) who weren’t doing the traditional thing’ anymore. But it appears the Gen Zers AND even younger folks are not playing the game, either. If they ever did.
Another angle on the issue…
My own survey of the local streets on which travelled on my errands revealed that only about 1 in every 6 or 7 houses had any significant front yard decorations. Before COVID, almost every house on the street sported spooky yard decor. A Jack-O-Lantern, at least!
And I’ve heard of no community centre T-and-T alternatives for the kids this year. No local (one-off) restaurant specials. All I’ve heard or seen have been the customary admonitions to drivers to go slow and carefully after dark, if they must go out at all. And make sure any kids who do go candy-extorting are accompanied by an adult.
My take
For me, the strongest indication that Hallowe’en was dead – or as good as – was the last-minute rush on treats at the store. I remember only a decade ago, when Erin and I held our annual planning ses-sion for the Big Night at least a week before the date. And went right out to get the specific T-and-T treats we wanted to give out, before they sold out.
And it’s been at least 20 years since I was invited to an adult Hallowe’en house party. Of course,that may simply be because I’ve ‘aged out’ of the partying ‘culture’…
Bottom line: The Frost is on the Pumpkin! Hallow’een ain’t what it used to be. And maybe that’s a good thing, considering the many ways in which the world has changed since the Millennium!
~ Maggie J.