"Halloween is a big deal in our house. Or, as I discovered this year, it used to be. I was never stumped about what to buy for my son's birthday in late September. At the top of his list would be somewhat useless things, such as fake live wires that hiss and shake, or pricey licensed products, including a replica proton pack from the Ghostbusters franchise."
"My son didn't want to go into the Halloween store This fall, a week before his 15th birthday, I literally had to drag him out of the car when we parked up. He wanted to stay inside to play on his iPhone, a tactic he pulls whenever we try to take him for a short hike. His dad confiscated his devices, and he reluctantly entered the store."
"In 2024, he spent 90 minutes choosing between the scary, sleeping scarecrow and a one-armed zombie called Rick Ratman, who had rodents coming out of his head. He opted for the latter, which he proudly positioned on the stoop. He joined a haunted, moving tree that I'd bought on eBay - it involved a 160-mile round trip to the seller's home in a neighboring"
Halloween had been a central family tradition built around elaborate decorations, animatronics, and shopping trips for spooky gear. The son once eagerly selected novelty items and licensed replicas for birthdays and visits to Spirit Halloween. As he approached age 15, his enthusiasm faded; he preferred staying inside on his iPhone and required prompting and device confiscation to participate. When he engaged, he still spent significant time choosing items like a one-armed zombie named Rick Ratman and positioned it proudly on the stoop. The parent continued investing time and effort, including long trips and online purchases, to maintain the decorations.
Read at Business Insider
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