A memory turned into a business. The pumpkins are already appearing in the shop windows, The products are dyed red and black and the shops of Alicante are preparing for one of the most creative campaigns of the year. Halloween It has ceased to be an “imported” holiday and has settled as a date marked in red, or rather, in fake blood, on the calendar of the city's local businesses. Since the costume shops to pastry shops or opticianseveryone takes advantage of these days to offer themed productsrenew shop windows and attract an increasingly dedicated clientele to the “most terrifying” night of the year, October 31.
Although sales don't always skyrocket, the atmosphere changes completely. “Almost the same is sold as a normal day, but everything that is sold It's Halloween themed“explains Angy Sotoa worker at a downtown costume store. On your counter they coexist gothic vampires, zombies, demonized clowns and mummies who wait their turn to be scary. “Big monsters or giant dolls They buy mainly restaurants and hotels to decorate your premises. Young people are looking for simpler and cheaper accessories: capes, masks, makeup… “Girls prefer prettier costumes, while boys want to look more hideous,” says Soto.
“The girls come a lot for tutus of little witches, devilish butterflies or pumpkins. The older ones ask for things with blood or superheroes”
terrifying days
Children also have their place in this costume fever. “In the schools they do activities and the girls come a lot for tutus of little witches, devilish butterflies or pumpkins. Older children ask for things with blood or superheroes“explains Soto. In his store, this year “there is real fear,” with the most theatrical costumes, like the catrinassharing the spotlight with the classics vampires and zombies. “Right now we have many mothers looking for costumes for their children, and also young people who already have a costume, but want it to be scarier,” adds Soto.
“We make decorated cookies, donuts, cupcakes and this year we have released Halloween-themed cookie skewers and clouds”
But Halloween is not just about dressing up, it is also eaten. In the Ana Amador's pastry shopthe window looks like a monster candy party. “We do decorated cookies, donuts, cupcakes and this year we have brought out Halloween-themed cookie and cloud skewers. We also have XXL cookies with graves, pumpkins, vampires or ghosts“describes the pastry chef. Each season they seek to surprise: “We have added Frankenstein decorations and we change things so that customers don't get bored,” says Amador.
The cakes also have their star moment, with stuck sugar knives or eyes that seem to look at you from the window. “People come for loose cookies, but also There are large orders for parties or companies. Some businesses ask us to organize themed breakfasts; some of us have been going for almost ten years“explains Amador, who confesses, in his business, “On Halloween we have more work than on Christmas.”
“The white contact lens is the queen of Halloween, the one that has the most impact. The “IT” type clown also triumphs, a mix between yellow and red”
Businesses that join the party
But among the Less obvious businesses, there are also those who join the party. In the optics by José Miguel Fenollhairy spiders and ghosts decorate the window. “We always decorate the optician's shop on Halloween, people stop, look, laugh, and that gives life to the business. We want it to be seen that we want to celebrate,” says Fenoll. Its star product is colored contact lenses.essential to complete a good costume. “The white contact lens is the queen of Halloween, the one that has the most impact. The “IT” type clown also triumphs, a mix between yellow and red. Besides, they can graduate“, assures Fenoll.
“I have kept the usual decoration, but I have added Halloween earrings, necklaces and headdresses. I like to dedicate a corner to this holiday”
In the world of grocery storethere is also a festive spirit. Beatriz Manzanaroowner of a small accessories store, has adapted her window display with a thematic touch. “I have kept the usual decoration, but I have added Halloween earrings, necklaces and headdresses. I like to dedicate a corner to this festival without losing the essence of what we normally sell,” explains Manzano. Among ostrich feathers, gloves and children's applications, Customers look for small details to complete their costumes. “We sell almost the same as a normal day, but everything that is sold has halloween theme. The hand earrings with flowers are what we are selling the most these days,” says Manzano.
“We love the whole Mexican theme and we wanted to throw it out there. We have mixed it with our 'devilish' wines from Alicante or 'spicy' olives”
Even in the food sectorHalloween has a local flavor. In the Jordi Gisbert's snack shopthe showcase mixes Mexican skulls with products from the province. “We love the whole Mexican theme and we wanted to throw that way. We have mixed it with our 'diabolical' wines from Alicante or 'spicy' olives, our things that fit very well.”explains Gisbert.
This year, products with suggestive names or “scary” labels are an added attraction. “There are brands that already come with scary names, and these days they are much more enhanced,” says Gisbert. Thus, from elaborate costumes to small details in haberdasheries and creative sweets, Alicante is preparing to live Halloween with intensity.
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