Trick or Treat. Is Halloween a modern consumer event or does is retain a deeper meaning today?

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2011 im Fachbereich Anglistik - Kultur und Landeskunde, Note: 1,7, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Veranstaltung: Calender Customs, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: The key question of my paper will be whether Halloween is just a pure Consumer event, or if it does have any deeper meaning to people. What parts of Halloween are of relevance for people nowadays? I would like to find out if this festival is celebrated to make our lives just a bit more fun by spending money and investing in marketing to attract customers or is it more than that. I will proof that Halloween cannot be reduced to a trend. To make my paper transparent, I have decided to focus on Halloween parties, Halloween in different countries, Trick or Treat customs, Halloween fans in Germany, Halloween and the media, and economic aspects. Halloween parties everywhere, Halloween costumes, and Halloween movies, children playing Trick or Treat: Halloween has found its way to be an important and popular festival nowadays. And it seems to gain more and more importance in our festival calendar. Similar to Christmas the preparations start weeks before, the stores are full of Halloween decorations waiting to be bought by the customers. American spending on this festival has reached a maximum. Spending money on this calender custom has become a crucial point, it is often called an outcome of today‘s fun generation. Originally being a spiritual festival, what is it now? Is it just commercialisation or has it any religious, social or cultural significance nowadays?