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.
Christy Blocker says
Well said! I have twin sons who have a birthday in early December too. It is too much. This year one wants to go to a concert for his birthday instead of asking for any stuff and I am super excited about this. They are finally getting on board with me that experiences and memories are far more enjoyable than more stuff that just turns into clutter.
Susan, Massachusetts says
I guess I was lucky growing up. My paternal grandmother was very frugal and she learned the life style from her parents. Her mother was the daughter of a British minister, and her father was Native American (Blackfoot). She grew up on a farm in Rhode Island and their family of ten always had enough to eat and most importantly share with others. They made their gifts throughout the year so that when the Christian celebration of Advent was to begin, they were already prepared to focus on the birth of Christ, Living a life following the understanding of the true meaning of the season was the part of their families foundation. Also, from November through January was birthday season. So she and my grandfather, who was a first generation child from Norway, taught their children and their grandchildren the old ways; to be frugal, creative, and to plan ahead financially. So when December 1st arrived, we could relax and be able to celebrate the true meaning of the season. Every Sunday we would have the lovely family dinner after church then the extended family would gather together to celebrate someone’s birthday. Our Christmas tree did not go up until December 20th, after my father’s birthday. When it came to gifts, we had to buy a child in need 1-2 gifts before we could purchase any gifts for friends and friends. Everyone gave 1 or 2 small yet thoughtful gifts to each person. To this day most of us still try to follow their example.
Dana says
Hear, hear and amen to everything you’ve said here. And, given two end of month birthdays in November and December in our family, it is all the more tempting to succumb to consumerism and excess, as we’re asked what we want for those occasions too. I’ve been trying to suggest more experiential (day trips locally) and membership (museums) or services (car detailing, computer repair) types of things we’ll use and enjoy. It sure is a challenge. Here’s to a simpler and more meaningful rest of 2019 (and this rapidly concluding decade).
Tiffany says
I definitely enjoyed this read for sure! It breaks it all down and puts everything into a clearer perspective as to how much is so unnecessary. We do tend to over indulge. I’m going to definitely giving myself boundaries!
Bethany R. says
All the Holidays plus our little nuclear family has 4 birthdays from mid November to early January. Makes my head spin. I was so Happy when my MIL told me they were cutting back on gifts this year. Finding a happy place of moderation is hard. Enjoying all the celebrations without either going overboard OR being a Scrooge is the goal.
SCB says
I’m in Australia and I’m seeing the influence of American Holidays in our stores … Trying to emulate the excess. Its disturbing and distracting, especially when I see children buying into these commercially generated events.
Dotti Ulrich says
Great advice. I’m on board. Happier, healthier. Wish I had learned the lesson years ago.
Elizabeth says
I’m giving out giant kale leaves from my garden for Halloween this year. The gift of health!!
Sakura says
Thank you! I’m a mom in a mixed marriage, we had my daughter’s birthday twice (with both families) same week as Halloween, Day of the Dead, Harvest Day, Thanksgiving, Mountain Day, Christmas, Omisoka, New Year’s Eve (my sister’s birthday)… “had” I mentally downgraded the day we visit the snow as well as day of the dead, delegated birthdays and Halloween to relatives who like them more, abandoned Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Eve and decided to take up Kwanzaa instead, so now it goes my daughter’s birthday, a small thanks to my passed loved ones, a visit to nearby snow and ending the year with Kwanzaa a celebration on seven traditional values that match mine very well instead of me trying to fit myself into a holiday I never resonated with… if I find the need to explain why to anybody I’ll hand them a print out of this article. Happy autumn! ?
Connie says
I almost forgot about Halloween this year and I am so thankful that I am not in retail anymore. Having to look at all that stuff for sooo long before and after the holidays is more than depressing. Working retail for a few years changed my whole attitude towards the holidays, most especially Christmas.