Early Halloween 2021 in Madison

by Rebecca Cuningham

September 20th, we strolled after breakfast at our favorite cafe. I was astounded to see this enormous decoration 41 full days before the event. Is it my imagination, or are holidays arriving earlier each year?

Close Up: Outdoor Halloween Decoration. Photo: Rebecca Cuningham

Like many people in the US, I like Halloween and Día de los Muertos. However, when the local thrift shop opened its costume section in August for the orange and black holiday, it seemed a wee tad early. Monday 9/27, I saw enormous boxes of pumpkins, one meter to a side, at the grocery store. Maybe the plan is I’ll have to buy two? We’ll carve one now, set it out, mold will overcome it and a squirrel will eat it for breakfast. Back to the store for another.

I enjoy seeing hand crafted seasonal yard decorations the most. Here are two favorite examples from last year; pumpkins by Mother Nature and clever carvers.

Playing it safe or not. Photo: Rebecca Cuningham


Look out for Pumpkannibals! Photo: Rebecca Cuningham

Dear readers, how early is too early? Or are holidays welcome whenever they arrive?

¡olé! –Rebecca

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Rebecca Cuningham

34 thoughts on “Early Halloween 2021 in Madison”

  1. Nooo. I hate festivals arriving too early. Christmas for instance. Already shops have mince pies. I enjoy the whole thing so much more when I haven’t been drip-fed for weeks already. Hallowe’en isn’t so much of a thing here, though it’s growing year by year.

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    1. Here, Halloween is a secular holiday most people can agree on. I think it’s a large money maker for businesses selling costumes, candy, decorations and pumpkins. The common phrasing shop at (our store) for all your Halloween “needs” is a bit much though, especially in September! However, it does prevent Christmas in July.

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      1. Well growing up my mom and i always made our own costumes and i loved it. Recently i just made some cute vase and flower displays for around the house in fall colors. I do not love carving pumpkins but i love painting them!

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  5. TOO EARLY! I’d ban all holidays until just a week before the date, so no Hallowe’en until near the end of October and Christmas just one week before December 25th. Think how less stressed we’d all be if this were to happen and the clamour for more and more toys, costumes, trinkets etc. were silenced.

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  7. The other day, my mom brought gingerbread home from the store. In mid-September! And there I was not so long ago, complaining about rabid commercialization when they were starting to sell Christmas stuff in October …

    It really *will* start in the middle of summer soon if things continue in this vein.

    Halloween is a relatively recently-imported thing here, too; the associated merchandise has a brief sales span in October and is usually to be found right next to the Christmas stuff. I loved it when I was living in the U.S., though — and I love your photos!

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  13. I don’t mind celebration days coming early if there isn’t another one on the horizon. I could cope with seeing Hallowe’en stuff in the shops in August, but I struggle with Christmas stuff in early October before Hallowe’en has been and gone! After 1st November, fine. 🤣

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