Gen Z are celebrating Halloween in July as new spooky holiday goes viral

While Halloweenis still a few months away, you may have noticed shops are already selling autumnal candles, spooky home goods or horror movies and there's a reason why.

Despite the earliness, it's all for good reason and fans of the spooky season will be thrilled to know there has been a whole new holiday created called Summerween all thanks to an episode of a Disney cartoon - and people are going nuts for it.

Summerween is essentially just what it sounds like: Halloweenin the summer months. It came about after appearing in an episode of Gravity Falls - in which the residents of the town love Halloween so much that they choose to celebrate it twice a year.

The summer twist means using seasonal products for the traditional spooky season motifs - such as carving melons or pineapples instead of the classic pumpkins. Summerween has a life outside of the show and has been embraced by those who love the autumnaesthetic - and want there to be a spooky season twice a year. It comes after sunbed wars see Brits forced to queue for 'over an hour' just to get to the pool.

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When is Summerween?

In Gravity Falls, Summerween is celebrated on June 22nd, but in real life people tend to celebrate it on July 31st - the same date as Halloween (which is held on October 31st each year).

Others don’t view Summerween as something only to be celebrated on one day, and enjoy the Summerween vibes and aesthetic all summer long.

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How do people celebrate Summerween?

People celebrate the occasion in different ways. Some choose to embrace the spookiness by watching horror movies and wearing Halloween-themed outfits, while others throw Halloween parties with a summer twist. Think spooky slushies instead of hot chocolates, and going to a scary pool party instead of a haunted house.

Brands have also jumped on board the trend. Hello Kitty announced its Summerween collection last week, while stuffed animal brand Ty shared a picture of a bat plushie while asking followers: “Who else is celebrating Summerween?”

Cosmetics brand NYX shared a Summerween make-up look on social media, and Bath and Bodyworks announced its viral Summerween collection - with scents given names like Vampire Blood, Immortal, and Ghoul Friend.

Why are people celebrating Summerween?

The internet is divided over the importance of Summerween, and while some people are enthusiastic about the celebrations, others see it as a marketing ploy for companies to sell more products.

One person wrote on X: "When did retailers decide that summerween was a thing? Shoppers don’t really seem to be on board." Another said: "Every year it's earlier and earlier and I'm wondering when it's gonna get to the point that they just never put it away and there's always Christmas trees and Halloween decorations on the shelves."

A third wrote: "I know I’m a true hater because I’m sick of Christmas in July I’m sick of summerween LETS JUST CELEBRATE THE SUMMER LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE."

However, others are already in the full swing of Summerween, with one fan posting: "Summerween is the only way I’ll participate in summer." Another person said: "Summerween is affecting me in the sense that I want to rewatch stuff like AHS Coven and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina."

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