Today is Halloween in America.
It’s a fun day—one I always look forward to.
When I was a kid, I LOVED trick-or-treating with my brother and sister (even in the cold October 31st weather of South Dakota). Nowadays, in Phoenix, we host a party in our driveway on Halloween night for our friends while our kids gather candy from the neighbors. It’s a fun holiday—I do enjoy it.
However, in my mind, Halloween also marks the beginning of the longest season of excess in our country:
I think of it this way:
- Halloween is…
- followed by Thanksgiving…
- followed by Black Friday…
- followed by Cyber Monday…
- followed by Christmas…
- followed by New Year’s Eve.
No wonder everybody in the country decides on January 1st they need to make changes in how they are living. Halloween through New Year’s has just equaled 64 days of excess.
Look at some of the stats:
For Halloween, Americans are expected to spend $12.2 billion on candy, costumes and decorations this year—that’s $108 for every person who plans to celebrate.
That’s $3.6 billion on candy (for a one-day holiday!), over $4 billion on costumes, and 3.9 billion on decorations. I’m not sure when big inflatable Halloween decorations in our front yard became a thing, but apparently that’s what people are doing now.
Thanksgiving is famous for three things: family, football, and overeating. Meals are important and so is celebration. Thanksgiving is a special day in our home with good food and meaningful traditions. So please don’t read that I disapprove of the holiday.
But let’s be honest, when the average American consumes 4,500 calories in a single day (almost twice the recommended daily intake), it’s easy to see how the holiday contributes to this season of excess.
Thanksgiving gives way to Black Friday (with some stores choosing to open on Thanksgiving Day). Black Friday gives way to Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday. All told, Americans will spend $51B shopping for unneeded items the weekend immediately following a day being grateful for all the things they do have.
And then of course, we have the Christmas season and all the excesses that accompany the holidays celebrated during the month of December.
The calendar is full of scheduled events (work parties, church parties, dance recitals, band performances, family gatherings, and community events). Billfolds are opened wide and often—50% of holiday shoppers either overspend their holiday budget or do not set one at all and 28% of holiday shoppers enter the season still paying off debt from last year’s gift shopping.
One week later, we’ll gather again to celebrate the start of a New Year (or in this year’s case, a new decade). We’ll eat more, drink more, attend more parties, and stay up later than we normally would.
When everything is all said and done, on January 1, we’ll stand on the scale, open our credit card statement, or take one look around the house and realize that change is necessary.
We will resolve to lose weight, get out of debt, organize the house, or overcome an addiction that began in moderation but grew into excess. We’ll know we overdid it the past couple months and resolve to do better going forward.
Seasons of extended excess often lead to the realization that change must occur. And that season of excess starts today… on Halloween.
The upcoming months are a wonderful time of year filled with family, traditions, and memories to be made. We honor our faith, our past, and the communities we live in.
But if you are often swept away by the excesses of the upcoming season, resolve today to not make the same mistakes of the past. You don’t need to wait until January 1st to make that decision.
Set boundaries on your spending. Know your financial limitations and develop your budget now for the entire season. Don’t let November & December ruin your January thru October.
Set boundaries on your celebrations. You do not need to embrace excess to enjoy this season of the year. Halloween can still be enjoyed without an inflatable black cat in your front yard. Thanksgiving can still be enjoyed without a stomachache. Christmas can be appreciated without falling into consumerism. And New Year’s can be enjoyed in moderation.
Set boundaries on your expectations. Too many of us fall into the thinking that the perfect holiday requires us to overextend ourselves. We want everything perfect for our kids (regardless of their age), our friends, and ourselves. And we think that means mountains of decorations, gifts, or sugary foods. But your perfect holiday season doesn’t require your excess. Many times, it simply needs your presence.
I will enjoy myself this evening out in the driveway handing out candy, visiting with my neighbors, and celebrating a simple American tradition.
I can enjoy this holiday (and the next one) without falling into the trap of excess. Most of those excesses are entirely manufactured by those who profit from it anyway.
Sara M says
This is a great read. Also taking stock of this at Halloween as opposed to Thanksgiving – when the madness has pretty much already begun – is a great idea!
karen says
Everything about this…When we were kids, Halloween was for kids. Our parents provided old clothes, and we made all our ‘costumes’ You were either a gypsy, a ghost, a hobo, or something very generic like that. You were provided a paper bag, a bowl of navy bean soup to get you started, and instructions to take your younger sibling around the block before you started out with your friends. Parents did not go with us at all. It was complete ‘kid freedom’! Our entire goal was to fill those paper bags up with as much candy loot as possible! We loved that holiday! Nobody decorated anything except a carved pumpkin to let you know you could ring their bell. I look around at kids today and know they aren’t experiencing what we did as kids. The scariest thing we had to do every year was debate taking candy out of the lap out of someone who would dress in a cloak that covered their face, sit on their porch in a rocker completely silent, and rock slowly with that bowl of candy in their lap. We never reached into that candy bowl…. I know this article is about excess but I tell that story to show how little all the store bought decorations, costumes, etc really matter….
Cindy says
Well said! What a very timely message that, well, so many of us need to hear. Thank you for this wonderful message about honoring ourselves and others through the holidays simply through our presence. All of the excesses are no substitution for deep meaningful connections with other people that everyone so longs for. Thanks again.
John and Jane Ault says
Thank you for this timely reminder that I can stop the excess now.
Bethanie says
I couldn’t sum it all up any better than this—outstanding! It is all true. Seeing this season clearly before living it again is a great way to get real with ourselves and live more intentionally. Enjoy it more, too!
Rosie Griffiths says
Great and timely advice. I’ve already decided to spend less for Christmas but make also make sure I’m careful about where my money goes. It will be going to people making handmade quality items rather than a whole pile of shoddy tat! Our family have for a while exchanged edible or drinkable gifts which you then don’t hang onto. Often the can be homemade which is always appreciated and for members of the family going through financial difficulties, it’s ideal. Who doesn’t enjoy home made fudge or spiced cookies. I’ve also put the effort into buying items from sustainable sources, use recycled wrapping paper or reuse gift bags, make my own gift tags and that way I feel like I am putting in the effort rather than just overspending and letting commercialism win. Less is more. A bar of handmade, cruelty free soap made locally (so no transportation costs involved) can be appreciated just as much as a designer label brand. We need to responsible about where our hard earned money goes.
Diann says
Hi Rosie,
Yes! I totally agree. We are moving more toward homemade and/or edible gifts every year. I just want to stop feeling that my homemade gifts are inadequate. That’s what I need to learn!
Judy says
Keep it simple! ?
Norma says
Awesome advise! I like to have a list of expectations for the holiday season. The list of expectations include gifts, celebrations, decorations, and free time. If I know exactly what I want to experience, it is easier to make good choices without thinking and rethinking what I should or should not do.
MaryJo says
Joshua, what a great reminder to be mindful of what these holidays are truly about! We don’t celebrate Halloween anymore, and it truly bothers me to see how this “holiday” has morphed into the equal of Christmas, complete with yard and house decorations. I agree with the comment about cheap plastic stuff (that will all end up in our landfills) being depressing. I do admit to spending a fair amount on Christmas gifts for our children and grandchildren, but we stick to a budget (saving ahead from January to November) and try to get things that are needed, useful, or educational, including “experiences” like family zoo or museum memberships. Most of our Christmas decorations have been accumulated over the 42 years my husband and I have been married, and have a lot of sentimental value. I even have a few ornaments that hung on my mother’s and grandmother’s trees when I was a child! When I do buy new things, I try to buy quality items that will last for many years.
My goal for this year is to pare down the December schedule, so that I can fully enter into the spiritual meaning of Christmas, rather than being so busy with shopping, baking, addressing a ton of cards, and so on (applying minimilism to my schedule). I will count it a success if I don’t enter into Christmas week exhausted as I have in the past. Wish me luck!
Martin says
I really appreciate your discussion. Self control need be ever present.
A rule I follow is simple….
Acquire only that what you need, not as greed.
When the rule is enacted, you automatically give yourself a raise.
Marketers will attempt to change your mind. Marketers hurry to end living matters.