holiday shopping

[saphir]

I listened to the Audio Blog #1 It was real fun. Thank you!

I'm bound to say: The same as Germany!

Now it's August and the time is ripe for the first Christmas chocolates and gingerbread filling the aisles of the supermarkets!
I have no doubt, in one week I can buy all the Christmas sweets. (or could I buy them by now?) At last! Half a year of waiting has its end! The last chocolate Easter bunny had been eaten by my fiancé last week. I need new sweets. I want Christmas sweets now in summer!

But something is new. I recognized that last year for the first time but I am quite sure that was not the first year: A week or two before Halloween all the Christmas stuff was disappeared. Only a handful of broken chocolate Father Christmas and smashed dominoes (gingerbread with filling in form of a cube, called in Germany "Dominosteine") had been left in a dark corner of the supermarket. I was full of panic! I didn't buy any Christmas sweets for family and friends yet. I thought there might be time enough to buy later. It was October and there was nothing left!!!

The shelves suddenly were filled with little pumpkins, costumes and artificial maple-leaves and everything was colored in black and orange. Halloween products as far as the eye could reach and special Halloween offers for Halloween bakery and cooking. I think, it was all the stuff, that any German marketing departments thought it must be typical for Halloween. I have to point that out: Germans only knew Halloween from TV. Halloween never was a traditional holiday in Germany. But now children love it and they want to be customized, trick-or-treating and Halloween parties.

Much to my relief a couple of days after Halloween Christmas had its return to the supermarket. Father Christmas and the other Christmas sweets were back, ready to be bought and eaten. A critical moment I'd worried they would fill on the shelves with Easter bunnies in November. Unfortunately Christmas sweets were sold out. What a nightmare!

It seems to be the same all over the world.

[salivia_baker]

I have to point that out: Germans only knew Halloween from TV. Halloween never was a traditional holiday in Germany. But now children love it and they want to be customized, trick-or-treating and Halloween parties.

To add here: Germans do celebrate All Hallow's (at least it's a holiday )
And yeah Halloween is original an Irish festival which the Irish brought to America and from there it was spread (via media) over the rest of the world.. well at least some countries.

btw: I sabotage Halloween. I don't like it, it doesn't have a connection to our culture.

[ShadeyLane]

In America people mainly celebrate Halloween, but just as a day for scary themes and an excuse to dress up in crazy costumes. I can say that Cosplayers have such a fun time! Personally I like to dress in Renaissance or Medieval garb, basically a form of re-enactment.

I also enjoy handing out candy to children. I find it so funny when parents bring their new borns... You know the parents just want the candy!

I don't think Halloween is relevant to any culture, really. I think it became integrated into the American culture just because many started making it a day for costuming. We have many Mexicans/Hispanics in some regions who celebrate it because it is something truly from their own culture. My mother (Filipina) was raised catholic and explains All Saints Day to me.

So really, there are many things that go on in Halloween for Americans. My British friends don't have too much happen for Halloween. It isn't as big there as it is here.

[ayhanuyar664920]

I think for the culture of Turks. You will find very interesting

[malik.pasban_92577]

I don't think Halloween is relevant to any culture, really. I think it became integrated into the American culture just because many started making it a day for costuming. We have many Mexicans/Hispanics in some regions who celebrate it because it is something truly from their own culture. My mother (Filipina) was raised catholic and explains All Saints Day to me.

this looks cool. No idea anyone of you could get what I see in it.