Many adults remember the year they began to sheepishly look around at trick-or-treaters and realize how much bigger they were than everyone else.
A night of exhilaration running up to doors, which ended in enthusiastic bag dumping to compare the best goodies was soon replaced with new thrills – going to a packed Halloween party or watching a horror movie.
Halloween has long held an allure for adults, and the trend of “kidulting” has only strengthened this bond. “Kidulting” – a cultural trend among adults, particularly millennials – involves engaging in activities traditionally associated with children or indulging in nostalgia, allowing them to relive the magic of childhood.
Costume Craze
One of the essential elements of Halloween for both kids and adults is the costume. Spirit Halloween has said that TV show, video game and movie characters dominate adult costume picks.
“Our top sellers of 2022 were mostly show-stopping options including TV standouts like Stranger Things, Ted Lasso and Yellowstone, as well as film favourites like Sonic the Hedgehog, Beetlejuice, The Wizard of Oz and The Addams Family,” said a Spirit Halloween spokesperson.
It’s not just boos, screams or witch cackles that will permeate the chilly air this year: one sound we’re all likely to hear wafting through the eerie din is a cheery “Hey, Barbie!” Google Trends’ Frightgeist, a tool that analyzes the most-searched costume ideas nationwide, has Barbie as number one both nationally and in Victoria this year.
And it looks like Ken isn’t even number two. (Sorry Ken. Unless Barbie includes you, too.) The other top-10 costume searches nationally are Princess at number 2, Spider-Man, Witch, Fairy, Wednesday Addams, Dinosaur, Cowboy, Ninja and Bunny.
Tricks or treat yourself
Whether staying out or staying in, adults are embracing the fun with more spending on Halloween this year.
The National Retail Federation in a release from Sept. 2023 said the total Halloween spending is expected to reach a record $12.2 billion, exceeding last year’s record of $10.6 billion.
The survey that asked 8,084 consumers about their shopping plans found that the top ways consumers are planning to celebrate are handing out candy (68 per cent), decorating their home or yard (53 per cent) or dressing in costume (50 per cent).
In a return to pre-pandemic norms, more consumers also plan to throw or attend a party (32 per cent) or take their children trick-or-treating (28 per cent).
READ MORE: Mastering the fine art of purchasing Halloween candy
READ MORE: How to balance the gory and the family-friendly in your Halloween fun
Going out
For adults who are looking for a spooktacular night out, options include a rowdy Halloween weekend party or something more family-friendly like a community activity.
Many adults will be participating in activities that are unique to Victoria, such as puttering their way through the Haunted Manor Victoria, an 18-hole mini-golf course where each stop tells a ghoulish tale. Victoria’s Ghostly Walks offer tales of ghostly encounters, and the Ross Bay Cemetery is the spot to be for a serene walk among the tombstones.
Those looking for dinner and a show from local bands can check out The Hallway’s Absinthe Halloween Party.
Oct. 28’s dancing options include Victoria Conference Centre’s Haunted Mansion Halloween Show and Party at Crystal Garden on Oct. 28 or Hermann’s Upstairs’ Monster Bash with ghoulish music.
For family-friendly play, the Rising Circus Haunted House will host an afternoon walk-through event Oct. 29 filled with games, Halloween characters, an aerial photo op, and a spiderweb obstacle course. Free family-friendly community activities include Trick-Or-Treat on Cook Street from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or the Halloween Firehall Spooktacular put on by Esquimalt Parks and Recreation and the Esquimalt Fire Department on Oct. 31.
Whether in a flock of extraverted Barbies, as a pack leader of little tykes, or as a Dracula who stays inside checking out hidden gem’ horror movies, Victoria adults wistfully remembering the days of play will get a chance to live out some of their wildest “kidult” dreams.
How do you like to embrace your inner “kidult” on Halloween? Email us with your stories at sam.duerksen@blackpress.ca.
