Have you noticed Halloween is no longer just a day, but more of a season on its own?
I’ve seen the trend for several years now with homeowners going all out with decorations and lights. Spooky décor is all the rage for homes inside and out.
Apparently Halloween, which took a big hit last year due to the pandemic, is back. Big time!
I overheard a man explaining that last year he told the neighbourhood children he wasn’t giving out treats. But this year he would give them double!
Judging by his candy purchase, he is making good on his promise. I think a lot of people are using this as a bit of a celebration for kids of all ages. I mean, who doesn’t love those miniature chocolate bars?
Retailers expect record sales of candy, costumes and decorations.
According to the U.S. National Retail Federation, spending on decorations this year will be about $3.2 billion. Candy sales will top $3 billion for the first time ever.
The Retail Council of Canada did some polling suggesting Halloween is trumped in sales only by Christmas and back-to-school.
Horror is lucrative! It's certainly not just for kids. Adults love a good costume party.
Hollywood is on board with new incarnations of Halloween, Friday the 13th, The Addams Family, and even The Munsters.
There are as many scary movies airing this month as Christmas movies in December.
We have gotten to know the monsters like Jason, Michael Myers and their ilk. Is that what is meant by creature comforts?
Even if the characters are hideous, they are known to us. They are familiar.
Every channel has a myriad of monster shows. Everywhere we turn zombies, stalkers, serial killers and slashers are waiting in the dark.
Lifetime has creepy killer shows about cheerleaders with knives, mom’s secret life, and dad’s deadly secret every day.
I do appreciate they air those at noon when scared-y cats like myself can watch in the daylight. There can be no terror after 7 p.m. It is a rule!
Aside from the fact we all need to let loose a bit, I have a theory about society's obsession with evil. I think fictional fear is less frightening than the actual uncertainty we are currently facing. Nothing can be scarier than the unknown.
Let’s face it. Just going out the door every morning comes with it a certain amount of dread. We literally don’t know what fate awaits us. What germs are right around the corner?
Have you ever seen a more horrified face than that of a fellow shopper meeting you going the wrong way on a one-way aisle? Everyone seems petrified to make eye contact. And with hoodies and masks, we all look frightening.
The classic horror icons like Dracula and Frankenstein seem almost quaint compared to the real-life monsters we sometimes interact with. I actually think I’d rather take my chances with a werewolf than an anti-vaxxer...
Everything is scary. The sticker shock at the gas station is enough to send you running for your life. The amount of the grocery bill can cause chills. Monthly bills make me shudder.
Eighteen months ago, none of us realized just how frightening the real world was about to become. The trepidation of going about your daily business is just as scary as the idea of never returning to a routine.
So, maybe that is one reason a good scare from a movie seems safer. Pick your poison, as it were.
At least there is a beginning and an end.
And there's chocolate.
