Halloween Deals

You may be familiar with the Halloween movie series, but what do you know about the history of the day that adults and kids alike love to dress up for? Halloween is a holiday observed every year on October 31 in the United States, but it has thousands of years of history. 

The origins of Halloween can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which took place some 2,000 years ago. On November 1, the Celts celebrated their new year. This day signified the end of summer and harvest, as well as the start of the dark, frigid winter, which was traditionally connected with human death. Celts thought that during the night before the New Year's Day, the line between the living and the dead blurred. They celebrated Samhain on October 31st, when it was thought that the spirits of the dead returned to earth. Apart from causing havoc and destroying crops, Celts believed that the presence of otherworldly spirits made it easier for Druids, or Celtic priests, to make future forecasts. These forecasts were a source of consolation for a people who were completely reliant on the turbulent natural environment during the long, dark winter. Druids erected massive sacred bonfires to celebrate the festival, where people came to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic gods. The Celts dressed up in animal heads and skins and attempted to tell each other's fortunes during the festival.

Over the next 1,500 years or so, these traditions became interwoven into ancient Roman society  and tradition as they conquered the world. In America, the tradition was initially very limited due to strong puritanical beliefs and protestant belief systems.  It was not until many immigrants came to the US from throughout Europe and elsewhere. In the late 1800s, there was a push in America to make Halloween more about community and neighborly gatherings than ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft. Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most popular method to commemorate the occasion around the turn of the century. Games, seasonal cuisine, and colorful costumes were the emphasis of the parties. Halloween had evolved into a secular yet community-centered event by the 1920s and 1930s, with parades and town-wide gatherings providing entertainment. Trick-or-treating was resurrected by 1950 as an inexpensive way for a community to experience the celebration. In theory, families prevented tricks from being played on them by presenting little gifts or candy to the neighborhood kids. As a result, a new American custom was formed, and it has grown ever since. Halloween is now the country's second-largest commercial event, after Christmas, with an estimated $6 billion spent yearly. 

Now, it is not uncommon to hear “How many more days until Halloween?” or “How many weeks till Halloween” throughout the US as children and families look forward to the day.  Many choose to be extremely festive, perhaps bringing Halloween mugs to the office, dressing in Halloween socks or Halloween Pajamas, or even installing a seasonal shower curtain such as Halloween shower curtains! For many ultra-fans, anime Halloween can be enjoyed year round with Hoopla digital movie deals. Others focus more on the one day a year, but still search for the best disguise, including Adams Family costumes, a Cobra Kai costume, Hugh Hefner costume, or keeping it simple with basic Halloween leggings and a Halloween hoodie.

Regardless of your holiday style, Hoopla has amazing costume deals year round from many top-rated costume shops, and always has holiday cashback offers regardless of the season! Don’t miss out on Halloween coupons and the best fall promo codes!