A 3rd of Brits suppose Halloween gore has gone too far
The poll of 2,000 adults who celebrate the spooky season revealed that Brits are transforming their front gardens with cute, family-friendly decorations instead of terrifying clowns and gruesome body parts.
As one in 10 admit to feeling uncomfortable or put off by scary decorations, it appears Brits are opting for a more light-hearted approach to Halloween, so as not to frighten people. This includes decorating with playful pumpkins (51%), cosy candles (34%) and string lights (32%).
The study was commissioned by M&M’S, which is adorning the doorway of one lucky superfan with adorable decorations for Halloween.
Nicki Rodriguez, 48, from Ongar, Essex, said: “As part of my job, I have a side hustle decorating the inside of homes for Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. I go all out for Halloween inside my own home, but I never have time to do the outside, so this would be ‘perfect,’ a ‘dream come ‘true’,’ and a ‘nice change.'”
She added, “I totally relate to the trend of wanting more fun and friendly Halloween decorations. My son has autism, so I avoid gory or scary decor myself, and I notice my clients prefer nice, friendly decorations as well.”
The research also discovered that nearly a quarter (26%) said they’d be more likely to participate in the spooky season if it was less scary and the same amount (26%) would be more likely to visit a home that was decorated with more family-friendly themes.
(Image: PinPep)
On average, Brits splash out £56 on Halloween decorations, with creepy cobwebs (30%), friendly ghosts (29%) and spooky skeletons (28%) topping the list of popular choices.
Almost half (49%) say their friends and family inspire them to deck out their homes for Halloween, while 46% simply love celebrating the season.
For 30%, the perfect Halloween night involves carving pumpkins, nearly a quarter (24%) prefer baking Halloween treats, and 23% enjoy decorating their homes.
Sophia Padt, Mars Wrigley’s head of Halloween fun, who has teamed up with Ring doorbell to revive the playful spirit of Halloween, said: “Halloween should be for everyone, not just those who love the gruesome and gore. We hope to encourage more people to participate and create some entertaining memories along the way.”
FAVOURITE DECORATIONS FOR HALLOWEEN:
- Playful pumpkins
- Cosy candles
- String lights or lanterns
- Creepy cobwebs
- Friendly ghosts
- Spooky skeletons
- Festive banners or signs
- Autumnal displays
- Scary window signs (like peering eyes or shadows)
- Harvest-themed wreaths
