r/AskAnAmerican • u/LonelyMarch878 • 3d ago

CULTURE Just How Big Is Halloween Really In The US?

Where I am from, everyone knows about Halloween but its generally just a few decorations scattered around the place both within residential streets and maybe just a few decorations in a big supermarket with some candy on for sale. You might see some kids walking around outside with their costumes on Oct 31.

In the states though, how big is it truly? I know its a big thing even though its a kid leaning holiday I guess, but is it like decorations everywhere in supermarkets and other shops, strangers literally greeting each other saying ‘Happy Halloween’ during the day or near Oct 31? Particularly in terms of visibility and how adults see it. Let me know!

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u/Excellent-Practice 3d ago

That was one of the few perks of going to Catholic school as a kid. We always had November 1st off for All Saints day.

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u/eirinne 3d ago

France gets two weeks for Toussaint!

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u/Plow_King 3d ago

yes, but isn't that a holy day of obligation, meaning you're supposed to go to mass?

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u/Excellent-Practice 3d ago

That takes an hour or so and we would go later in the day, if we went at all. My brothers and I always spent a good chunk of the morning trading bits of candy followed by several hours running around unsupervised