By Henry Zheng
Halloween was once reserved for the nobility and the rich. Now, it is accessible to everyone, all thanks to commercialism.
What was once candy and treats for the rare wealthy is now a common handout during the holidays, along with spooky costumes and extravagant decorations.
Although the average Halloween advocate has benefitted from commercialism, the few who truly benefit from these holidays are the large companies and corporations who have found the Halloween market to be highly profitable.
With money on companies’ minds as the Halloween season gets closer, these large corporations take advantage of such a holiday, knowing consumers are willing to spend unreasonable amounts of money in the name of festivity.
And they’re right. Unbothered by costs, many of us often spend unreasonable amounts of money during the spooky holidays without thinking twice.
An article on wearetop10.com stated that on average, Americans nationwide spend over $9 billion just on Halloween, and with our over-the-top spirited population, it doesn’t look like this number is going down anytime soon.
Year after year, the American public endorses this spirit of celebrating the dead and collecting candy from strangers, establishing this holiday to be a true American tradition.
And who’s to say this spending is bad? Despite the hefty costs of candy and costumes, the true heart of Halloween, the spirit and fun of going out and trick-or-treating or giving out candy, negates many negative aspects of spending, and if anything, spending also provides some incentives to go out and have fun.
“I think it’s a good way to bond with your family and friends in a fun and festive way (as) giving out candy brings up the spirit of other trick-or-treaters,” says senior Jason Damasco.
Yet, at the same time, it is important to not be overrun by commercialism in times of mere spirited fun. People who have no costumes while trick-or-treating are often scrutinized by parents and given less candy. Similarly, neighbors compare each other’s houses and shame those that aren’t decorated.
Along with this, many naughty kids, dressed up in their costumes, often become enraged when houses don’t respond to trick-or-treaters or if members in the house are already sleeping.
So the next time you trick-or-treat, it is indeed important to have fun, but also keep in mind that Halloween is something for everyone to enjoy. ◆
The Legend Online 