The story of Halloween - Chapter IV
If you are over 50, I ask you - remember all those Halloween parties you attended when you were in your 20's? And all the ghoulish get-up you decorated your house with?
You will say, "No. I remember trick-or-treating when I was 10, though." I have spoken with several people who are a generation older than me, and they do not remember Halloween being this big a deal when they were my age.
Welcome to today. There was an article today about how Halloween is now big business. Approximately $3 billion is generated in Halloween sales. And most of those sales are spent by people in their 20's and 30's, who really get creepy.
I once did quite a get-up for Halloween, too. When I was in my teen years, my next-door neighbor, who was an audiophile, and an electonics expert (now I believe he is an Intel executive), ran the sound and lighting, at my parents house. I was responsible for the decorations. I did a pretty good job decorating, and I could be quite realistic. He did a good job with the sounds and the lights - especially since we had the 6' speakers from our high school (these were returned years later). Then we would buy the creepiest tapes (later cd's). It was quite frightening, as many kids were afraid to come to our house. Parents complained. As I am a member of Gen X, I did this until ten years ago (remember, many kids today take a longgg time to move out). Then he moved away, and I did too.
We were state-of-the-art in Halloween displays, at the time - just like I had a state-of-the-art stereo system for my car in high school. I think the kids of today can do just as well, however, given the technology. They would have to spend a lot of money on decorations, however, as I do not think there are many people as creative as I am (I did a lot of the artsy stuff). I could not do it at my house, however, as it is a corner house with a lot of street lights by it.
However, today, it is people of my age group and below who really get into Halloween. Some people in my neighborhood (which consists of young familys) really deck their house out for Halloween. However, those are more cutsy, than gory, decorations (I would do the latter if I did it).
A generation ago, Halloween would have meant nothing for the adults of my age if they were single. If they had kids, their kids costumes would have been the focus, as well as the school activities. In many ways, the adults of prior generations were more mature than today.
So what happened? I think I have an explanation.
There is a book by a many named Ron Baum about the Coors family. You know, the ones who make the really yummy beer. As Mr. Baum is a leftist, he takes a lot of time bashing them - especially when Joe discovers conservatism.
Because the Coors took so many controversial positions, and because they were predominately anti-union, a lot of groups boycotted their product. In fact, there is a residual of this boycott today, as many bars in liberal cities do not serve this major-label beer. In addition, the Coors family had a lot of antiquated notions about running businesses. As a result of these two factors, Coors was an extremely poorly run company.
One of the antiquated notions the Coors operated on was that they did not need to advertise. And why not? After prohibition ended, their beer was so good, people bought it in huge quantities in the states where it was sold. Advertising was a waste of money. However, in the early 1970's, the major breweries really got going on their advertising. A billboard or a bar sign just would not do. Hence, you know why beer commercials are some of the most dominant, and most memorable, on TV, as they in themselves often serve as entertainment (a lot of people watch the Superbowl just to watch the commercials!)
In addition, the labels would go into other aspects of American life. For big example, Budweiser took on practically every major sport. Other labels would have to find some other avenue.
Coors got into the advertising game late. And they needed to generate sales, to make up for those which were lost due to boycotts. So they needed to lay claim to something. How about a holiday?
And which one did they pick? Halloween! Remember, Elvira, the mistress of the dark? That really hot munster-looking character? She was used to sell beer in the later 1980's.
They were successful. Too successful. Because young adults, those to whom beer is marketed, started to think of Halloween and mix it with good times. So the boom of Halloween parties.
This was too successful in that a lot of anti-alcohol groups got mad at Coors for making a kiddie Holiday into a drunk fest. So they boycotted Coors, too. Oh wait - they already were boycotting all beer companies already. That is what happens when you are really miserable - you want to make life rotten for everyone else, too.
Now, there are other factors, too, that contributed to to making Halloween a popular holiday. The goth subculture has this as their supreme day. But, people who do not subscribe to subcultures do not follow the tastes of eccentrics. Instead, they are interested in a. sex b. good times and c. getting plastered. By implication, this is what Coors did.
So, by the time I got to college in 1989, Halloween was another excuse to party (and my the first time I got horribly sick from being drunk!). However, probably these two elements merged together, to go outside the party sector and into other aspects of people's lives.
Thus, my company has an activities committee, and they really decked out our lobby with Halloween decorations - not with pumpkins, but with gore. And we are an insurance company! And a lot of companies have some kind of Halloween events - like at school 20 or 30 years ago.
Halloween is now one of those unofficial holidays that everyone celebrates, like St. Patrick's day.
Some people write the story of Christmas, meaning how Christmas traditions evolved over 2000 years. Hence, I write this piece to show how Halloween became a major Holidays, but you won't get the first 3 chapters.
My lesson? If you like the fact that you party on Halloween, thank a conservative!!!
You will say, "No. I remember trick-or-treating when I was 10, though." I have spoken with several people who are a generation older than me, and they do not remember Halloween being this big a deal when they were my age.
Welcome to today. There was an article today about how Halloween is now big business. Approximately $3 billion is generated in Halloween sales. And most of those sales are spent by people in their 20's and 30's, who really get creepy.
I once did quite a get-up for Halloween, too. When I was in my teen years, my next-door neighbor, who was an audiophile, and an electonics expert (now I believe he is an Intel executive), ran the sound and lighting, at my parents house. I was responsible for the decorations. I did a pretty good job decorating, and I could be quite realistic. He did a good job with the sounds and the lights - especially since we had the 6' speakers from our high school (these were returned years later). Then we would buy the creepiest tapes (later cd's). It was quite frightening, as many kids were afraid to come to our house. Parents complained. As I am a member of Gen X, I did this until ten years ago (remember, many kids today take a longgg time to move out). Then he moved away, and I did too.
We were state-of-the-art in Halloween displays, at the time - just like I had a state-of-the-art stereo system for my car in high school. I think the kids of today can do just as well, however, given the technology. They would have to spend a lot of money on decorations, however, as I do not think there are many people as creative as I am (I did a lot of the artsy stuff). I could not do it at my house, however, as it is a corner house with a lot of street lights by it.
However, today, it is people of my age group and below who really get into Halloween. Some people in my neighborhood (which consists of young familys) really deck their house out for Halloween. However, those are more cutsy, than gory, decorations (I would do the latter if I did it).
A generation ago, Halloween would have meant nothing for the adults of my age if they were single. If they had kids, their kids costumes would have been the focus, as well as the school activities. In many ways, the adults of prior generations were more mature than today.
So what happened? I think I have an explanation.
There is a book by a many named Ron Baum about the Coors family. You know, the ones who make the really yummy beer. As Mr. Baum is a leftist, he takes a lot of time bashing them - especially when Joe discovers conservatism.
Because the Coors took so many controversial positions, and because they were predominately anti-union, a lot of groups boycotted their product. In fact, there is a residual of this boycott today, as many bars in liberal cities do not serve this major-label beer. In addition, the Coors family had a lot of antiquated notions about running businesses. As a result of these two factors, Coors was an extremely poorly run company.
One of the antiquated notions the Coors operated on was that they did not need to advertise. And why not? After prohibition ended, their beer was so good, people bought it in huge quantities in the states where it was sold. Advertising was a waste of money. However, in the early 1970's, the major breweries really got going on their advertising. A billboard or a bar sign just would not do. Hence, you know why beer commercials are some of the most dominant, and most memorable, on TV, as they in themselves often serve as entertainment (a lot of people watch the Superbowl just to watch the commercials!)
In addition, the labels would go into other aspects of American life. For big example, Budweiser took on practically every major sport. Other labels would have to find some other avenue.
Coors got into the advertising game late. And they needed to generate sales, to make up for those which were lost due to boycotts. So they needed to lay claim to something. How about a holiday?
And which one did they pick? Halloween! Remember, Elvira, the mistress of the dark? That really hot munster-looking character? She was used to sell beer in the later 1980's.
They were successful. Too successful. Because young adults, those to whom beer is marketed, started to think of Halloween and mix it with good times. So the boom of Halloween parties.
This was too successful in that a lot of anti-alcohol groups got mad at Coors for making a kiddie Holiday into a drunk fest. So they boycotted Coors, too. Oh wait - they already were boycotting all beer companies already. That is what happens when you are really miserable - you want to make life rotten for everyone else, too.
Now, there are other factors, too, that contributed to to making Halloween a popular holiday. The goth subculture has this as their supreme day. But, people who do not subscribe to subcultures do not follow the tastes of eccentrics. Instead, they are interested in a. sex b. good times and c. getting plastered. By implication, this is what Coors did.
So, by the time I got to college in 1989, Halloween was another excuse to party (and my the first time I got horribly sick from being drunk!). However, probably these two elements merged together, to go outside the party sector and into other aspects of people's lives.
Thus, my company has an activities committee, and they really decked out our lobby with Halloween decorations - not with pumpkins, but with gore. And we are an insurance company! And a lot of companies have some kind of Halloween events - like at school 20 or 30 years ago.
Halloween is now one of those unofficial holidays that everyone celebrates, like St. Patrick's day.
Some people write the story of Christmas, meaning how Christmas traditions evolved over 2000 years. Hence, I write this piece to show how Halloween became a major Holidays, but you won't get the first 3 chapters.
My lesson? If you like the fact that you party on Halloween, thank a conservative!!!
posted by EricMatthew at 9:08 PM
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