Chas writes: "Does Santino see a competitive aspect to the decorating?"
I believe so, though I don't have the citation on me. It can be competitive, but also communal: as with Xmas house-dressing, certain streets and neighborhoods gain the reputation for having notable displays. That can prod -- or even force-- neighbors to dress their own houses to be part of the communal spirit, if not exactly to keep up with the Joneses.
Best,
Sabina
Sabina Magliocco
Professor
Department of Anthropology
California State University - Northridge
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________________________________________
From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chas Clifton [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2012 12:55 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] House Dressing At Halloween?
On Sep 18, 2012, at 11:55 AM, Magliocco, Sabina wrote:
Hi Pitch et al.,
There is no doubt that the celebration of Halloween, including the amount of money Americans spend on it, is beginning to rival Xmas/ "the Holidays." I believe Jack Santino has written about Halloween/ fall house-dressing in _All Around the Year: Holidays and Celebrations in American Life_ (U Illinois Press, 1995), _New Old-Fashioned Ways: Holidays and Popular Culture_ (U Tennese Press, 1996) and in his edited book _Halloween and Other Festivals of the Dead_ (U Tennessee Press, 1994). Clearly, though, the data is going to be somewhat out of date, since the decorating has increased in the last 15 years.
Everyone loves a masquerade, and so Halloween has become Adult Party Time,
with, I think, a big push from the gays. Witness the party-store chains like Spirit
that rent empty stores for six weeks before Oct. 31 to sell "sexy witch" costumes, etc.,
along with the full range of plastic tombstones and other items needed for house decorating.
I do see, even in the small town nearest to my home, some elaborate and creative
home decorations—yards full of zombies and what not. Maybe with the election coming
we'll have Zombie Romney and Zombie Obama too.
Does Santino see a competitive aspect to the decorating?
Chas
Letter from Hardscrabble Creek: A Pagan Writer's Blog
http://blog.chasclifton.com
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