How Halloween is Changing, and Why That’s a Good Thing!

If you’re like us, you are probably very excited that it’s spooky season! We love the magic in the air this time of year. It’s time for pumpkins, bats, black cats, scary skeletons, and monster mashes. Time to plan your costumes, and bust out as much orange and black as you can in your regular clothes too. Take in the fresh air as you carve the perfect pumpkin into a Jack o’Lantern. Stock up on candy for your local trick-or-treaters. Decorate the house, inside and out. There are movies to watch, snacks to make, crafts to do…parties to host and attend…community festivals, traditions, and events. There’s something for everyone, if they want to get into the spirit!

The whole month of October feels like a giant, exciting countdown to Halloween, and all the spine-tingling fun that comes with it! But it wasn’t too long ago that Halloween was a much smaller holiday, not nearly as widespread as it is today. Times have been changing, and if you’re one of us spooky old souls who remembers a time when Halloween was barely a blip on anyone’s radar, you’re certainly not alone.

Halloween is Changing

Over the last few years, Halloween has become the world’s darling. It can be easy to miss, if you’re a lifelong Halloween lover. It feels deserved, right? Halloween has always been great; it’s only fair that people are finally realising that and giving it the recognition it deserves! You’ve probably been basking in the orange glow for as long as you can remember. Now, though, this glow is much brighter than it used to be. Because, before, Halloween used to be a small but beloved celebration. Now though, everyone knows about it. Which changes the game a little.

While it’s thrilling to have so much new attention on a holiday that has, in days gone by, been associated with “freaks” and “weirdos,” it can feel a bit overwhelming. Invasive, perhaps, if you’ve been a long-time Halloween lover.

When many of us were young, Halloween was barely a holiday. There was a singular aisle of costumes, and usually only in the biggest discount stores. Any decorations available for purchase were fairly low quality. Basic. Before there were fake cobwebs, we hung paper cutouts and DIY napkin ghosts in our trees and around our homes. We carved pumpkins poorly, with steak knives. We raked our leaves into bags with Jack o’Lantern faces on them and used those as decorations. We celebrated how we could, but we were limited by what was available.

There’s a certain nostalgia for that old Halloween. A scrappiness that comes with making the most out of virtually nothing. When there were no Halloween cookbooks, no twelve-foot skeletons, and certainly no influencers with DIY hacks, we were forced to put our own creativity to the test. We had Halloween because we made Halloween. And that will always be special to remember.

However. Things are changing, Halloween is growing, and it’s time to make room at the table.

The New Halloween

Halloween is getting bigger. And that means there are lots of people who are learning to love it for the first time. As it expands globally with the help of social media, there are even whole countries or regions where Halloween is in its early stages, similar to the Halloween many of us remember from our childhoods. Once a footnote in these places, Halloween is growing to take its rightful place as a major holiday. People are getting excited about it. And rightly so!

With this more widespread, open-armed acceptance of Halloween as a holiday, people are starting to understand just how much fun it is. Like any holiday, it’s not going to appeal to everyone, but plenty of people are just now discovering how enjoyable it can be to put on a costume, or hand out candy, or get the beans scared out of them for laughs. It’s becoming easier than ever to celebrate Halloween, now that it’s gaining popularity. And one of the most beautiful things about Halloween is how strongly it urges us into a sense of togetherness.

Gather Together

Many things surrounding Halloween are best enjoyed with a group! And now that more people are becoming interested, now that the holiday is blowing up more and more, there are finally enough people playing along to make this a really fun time. Halloween is a fantastic opportunity to make some memories with your friends, family, and members of your community. It’s a time when people come together for a scream and a laugh, a time when we get to make light of the things that would normally frighten us. There’s a playfulness to Halloween and its traditions, and it’s always more fun to play with others. 

There’s some powerful magic at work here, too. It’s the same sort of innate magic that makes us draw together when we’re frightened, or seek out others to share the joy of a good time. People trick-or-treat in groups, now. Halloween parties have become much more common. Some communities even host events like parades or block parties. In certain areas, adults handing out candy to trick-or-treaters will have a sort of mini-party of their own, with cider and snacks like s’mores around a fire pit. All of this calls forth a feeling of mutual celebration. When we get to share an experience with others, the joy is compounded, and that’s magical.

Consider hosting a Halloween party of your own this year! Get a group of people together for some communal, spooky fun. And if you do, make sure to check out our potion party packages! What could be more perfect for Halloween than brewing up some potions? With several different themes for our party packages, you’re sure to find something that will entertain and amaze your guests while taking your Halloween celebrations to the next level. We would love to help you curate a fun, unique Halloween celebration, full of magic and whimsy for you and your community. Here at The Little Potion Co, we say the more, the merrier!