Halloween has its origins in the Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on October 31st. The Celts believed that on this day the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead blurred. It was the day when the harvest season ended and winter began. It was believed that ghosts and lost souls wandered around on this day. To protect themselves from them, people lit fires and wore costumes.
Samhain was later integrated into the Christian festival of All Saints’ Day, and the evening before was called “All Hallows’ Eve”, which eventually gave rise to the final name. Today, Halloween is celebrated primarily in the USA as a fun event where children go around the houses in costumes and collect candy. In Germany and many other countries, Halloween has also gained popularity in recent years, and stores sell seasonal decorations, costumes and food.
The enthusiasm increases noticeably every year
For many people, Halloween offers a welcome opportunity to let their (dark) imagination run wild. Decorating houses and gardens with scary-beautiful but also colorful decorations is a lot of fun and creates a festive atmosphere. Many people really enjoy putting their neighbors and friends in a more or less scary mood with impressive scenes.
According to surveys, Americans spend an average of around 100 dollars or more on Halloween decorations. In Germany, it is currently reportedly 20 – 50 euros, with a clear trend. Spending has increased in recent years as more and more shops specifically offer Halloween products. Particular enthusiasts such as the Gonzalez family from the US state of Texas invest several thousand US dollars every year on a horror spectacle with giant spiders, lifelike skeletons and elaborate light installations.
Simple tips for a wonderful atmosphere
Pumpkins in various sizes are ideal as table decorations or autumnal accents on the front door. You can hollow them out and carve them creatively or just paint them. Use orange or purple lights that you can hang around windows, doors or even in trees. This will instantly create a festive atmosphere and make your home look inviting.
Another trick is to make ghosts out of old bed sheets. Cut them into shapes and hang them up. To personalize the whole thing, you can paint eyes with black paint to give your ghosts life. Don’t forget about fake spider webs that you can get from the craft store. These can be easily attached to windows, furniture or in corners. Add a few plastic spiders to enhance the spooky effect.
Popular costume ideas for men
Characters from the series “Stranger Things“, such as Dustin or Jim Hopper, are easy to recreate and guarantee that certain 80s charm. Last year, superheroes were a hit, especially characters like Spider-Man, Iron Man and Batman. Classic Halloween costumes like vampires or pirates never go out of fashion and are relatively easy to put together.
If you don’t always take yourself too seriously, you can of course get a laugh with humorous outfits: as an emoji, beer barrel, taco, flowerpot or construction worker with a “bricklayer’s cleavage”. Clothing from iconic films like “Harry Potter” or “Ghostbusters” is still popular. With a good approach to detail and the right attitude, you can turn any costume into an absolute highlight!
