5 Frighteningly Good Reasons America Does Halloween Better than Us
158 million will be celebrating Halloween this year and here are some of our favourite Halloween traditions which have had the all American treatment.
There’s a chill in the air, thriller is on the radio and suddenly everything has a pumpkin spiced twist… this can only mean one thing, it’s Halloween!
It’s the one time of year you can douse yourself with blood, take sweets from strangers and no-one bats an eyelid. Excellent.
We might think we do Halloween well but have you seen America?
Not sure anyones told them that size doesn’t matter but let’s be honest, Halloween deserves to be supersized. The effort that they’ll go to makes our jaws drop lower than a scream mask.
158 million Americans will be celebrating Halloween this year and here are some of our favourite Halloween traditions which have had the all American treatment. Treat yourself to some inspiration, it’s time to learn from the best.
House decorations
Trick and treat.
Here at home, you just might be lucky enough to spy a Halloween decoration, a few cobwebs or a skull, usually from the poundshop, sitting in the corner gloomily hinting one of our favourite holidays.
But not in America. Go big or go home, the decorations festooning the average American home are truly spectacular, mega ghoulish and a whole lot of fun.
Halloween literally explodes on the front lawn.
Front yards are strewn with cobwebs, skeletons, gravestones galore. Pumpkins on the porch steps and scarecrows along the garden path. Orange fairy lights and spooky tassels. It’s incredible the effort and lengths they will go to, to give neighbours a little fright.
And to prove we’re not just rattling your bones, the National Retail Federation reported that in 2016 Americans spent over $2 billion on Halloween decorations! Whereas this year in the UK, 46% of the population will spend less than a tenner… cheapskates.
Pumpkins
Americans are expected to spend $618.03 million on pumpkins for carving this weekend.
Is there anything more American than the annual trip to the pumpkin patch. Pumpkin farms absolutely smash our “has the supermarket got any left and are they on offer” pumpkin shopping.
Routing through the pumpkin bin to find the least mouldy one vs galloping through the fields handpicking your new potential lantern… We know which one we’d choose.
The state of Illinois is known to be the Pumpkin Capital producing 80% of the US’s pumpkins and Finder have predicted that 150 million Americans will be carving pumpkins this year.
That’s 150,000,000 pumpkins… and a hella lot of pumpkin pie.
TP-ing
In America, even the pranks go harder.
Tricking in the UK, usually features an egg ban from our beloved supermarkets and a poor attempt of knock down ginger or knock-a-door run from the local kids.
If you’re a receiver of a prank In the USA, alongside the classic egging, you’re very likely to have your house TP-ed.
There is a fair amount of technique to the toilet roll toss, from the way you let it roll to the amount of height (not promoting anything here).
There is actually insurance in the States which will protect you if you upset the pranksters and your house is TP-ed… but probably best just to be nice.
Outfits
7 out of 10 people will be dressing up for Halloween in the US this year.
So, there’s a bit of a difference when it comes to Halloween costumes in America… put it this way, the only horror you’ll see in America is the look on their faces when you rock up as a decapitated zombie bride.
For America, Halloween fancy dress is just that.
This year’s most popular costumes for children are:
- 1. Action/Superhero
- 2. Batman character
- 3. Princess
No little vampires here!
But our favourite Halloween fact has to be that Americans will spend $350 million on Halloween costumes. For their pets. That’s just barking mad.
Treats
And with everything getting a halloween make over, it’s only fair that the candy does too.
With cauldron skittles, pumpkin spiced Hersheys kisses, candy corn m&ms and caramel apple milky ways… what was an already wonderful selection. Just got even more exciting.
Can you imagine how great a caramel apple Cadbury’s bar would taste? Or pumpkin Reese's pieces... Oh no, wait, America has that too.
But Halloween in America wouldn’t be complete without Candy corn. We see it online and are always puzzled but this little sweet snack, which even Americans will say doesn’t taste that great.
But someone’s got to love it, as according to the National Confectioners Association, 35 million pounds of candy corn are produced each year. That's 9 billion pieces, which is enough to circle the moon almost 21 times if laid end to end. It is also the most googled candy ever (... for more candy corn facts just let us know, we’ve really read up on it!)
Oh America, we love you, you make everything just that little bit more special… especially summer. We can’t wait to come back - just wish that Halloween was in July.
