The origins of Halloween are rooted in the Celtic festival of Samhain, which traditionally observed the end of harvest and the start of winter. The Celts believed that on the 31st of October, as the seasons changed, ghosts of the dead would return to the living world to ward off evil spirits, while huge bonfires were lit and sacrificial gifts offered up.
Over the years, these traditions have blurred, evolving into today’s pumpkin-filled, ghoul-loaded holiday which, in the US is so popular, that the National Retail Federation estimates that total Halloween spend this year will exceed US$9 billion.
In the UK, Halloween has historically been trumped by Guy Fawkes Night, though it looks like the holiday is giving Bonfire Night a run for its money. Research by Mintel estimates that Halloween spending exceeded £320 million in 2017, and was the third-biggest consumer event of the year.
It’s little wonder then that the build-up to Halloween is a busy time for cargo carriers, and this year has been no exception. In the last few weeks, we’ve shipped superhero accessories from Hong Kong, Halloween toys from Thailand to New York, while London received over two tonnes of wizarding wand replicas.
Happy haunting!
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