Seacoast History Blog #99
October 30, 2010

People seem to find it hypocritical that I love gross plastic Halloween costumes and decorations, but am no big fan of the holiday itself. I’m anti-violence, can’t handle slasher flicks, and think American culture is obsessed with violence and unnecessary wars. But those animatronics are so cool. I’m also fascinated by the pop cultural impact of the rise of a holiday dedicated to mortality. Not many years ago the Halloween costumes barely filled an aisle in Zayres. Now we get an entire Halloween superstore filling the massive square-footage of the former Petco. The store shows up and disappears like a ghost. The best deal on disembodied limbs, plastic skulls and bloody rats, or Rocky Horror vinyl boots come right after the holiday. But don’t wait. This macabre celebration only comes once a year. My pix are below.

Photos by J. Dennis Robinson / SeacoastNH.com