Halloween is a very gothic and dark holiday that allows people to playfully adopt another persona, which is what makes it so much fun. Growing up in the 1970s and ’80s, it was all about the kids. I remember how the older brothers of my friends would walk around and chaperone us, feeling like they were just too old to dress up. The holiday has since evolved from all kids to plenty of adults in the mix. What happened? I think it has something to do with the slacker generation of the ’90s that didn’t really want to grow up.
That same thinking was adopted by millennials who resisted being a step closer to adulthood and living in the real world. Our norms and expectations around what it is to be an adult are changing and people are embracing the child within. Halloween is about escape. When you put on a costume, you can be whoever you want for a day, stay in character, joke around and have a blast. Transgression is allowed for adults who want to act like kids. You can drink alcohol, dress in a super-risqué outfit and tell off-color jokes.
Another factor is that there are more rights around the LGBTQ community. People who are transsexual or crossdressers always could feel comfortable on Halloween when people’s differences are celebrated and not stigmatized. A man can wear a dress and full-on makeup without anyone batting an eye. And they’re celebrated for doing so on that day. So, it’s no wonder that so many grownups are increasingly drawn to this holiday.