Halloween Costumes

Halloween Costumes - 2022

- October 28, 2022

In the coming days, people will start coming up with inventive costumes for Halloween. Some might

not be immediately identifiable, while others are expected to be widespread across the nation.

Google has created a spooky map this year that shows the top costumes that people are looking for.

Maybe you'll get some ideas for what to wear or what not to wear.

History of Halloween costumes

The practice may have originated in a Celtic festival, held on 31 October to mark the beginning of winter. Samhain was seen as a liminal time, when the spirits or fairies (the Aos Sí) could more easily come into our world. The ancient pagan mumming festival included people wearing masks or costumes to represent the spirits. Faces were marked (or blackened) with ashes taken from the sacred bonfire. In 19th century England, youths went house-to-house with masked, painted or blackened faces.

Halloween costumes may have evolved from souling, a practice that Christians engaged in in some regions of Western Europe as early as the 15th century. At All Hallows' Eve, groups of underprivileged people would knock on doors to gather soul cakes, or relics of the deceased.

Halloween dressing up is a North American tradition that dates back to 1911. Halloween was observed in America in the 19th century with costume parades and "licentious revelries." Early Halloween costumes were largely made for children and emphasized the gothic theme of the holiday.

Economics of Halloween costumes

Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion to celebrate Halloween, including a predicted $2.6 billion on costumes (with more spent on adult costumes than for children's costumes) and $330 million on pet costumes. In 2009, the National Retail Federation anticipated that American households would decrease Halloween spending by as much as 15%.

Politics of Halloween costumes

In the modern Western world, Halloween costumes may portray persons and objects from the present and are occasionally interpreted in terms of their political and cultural relevance. When Halloween costumes naively employ stereotypical portrayals of other groups of people, such as gypsies and Native Americans, they are occasionally accused of cultural appropriation. Julie Myers, the secretary of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, caused controversy when she gave the title of "Best Costume" at the ICE Halloween celebration to a "jamaican prisoner who escaped" sporting blackface and dreadlocks.

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