Discussions

Is Spirit halloween back in Brandon this year? I haven't heard anything about it at all this year and was just wondering. I love that store ^_^

There is no Spirit Halloween this year. They couldn't secure a location. There is only Halloween Alley, in the same location as last year, in the old zellers/Kmart building near Sobeys west on 34th.

Well that's sure disappointing! Is Halloween Alley the same sort of a deal? Is it as good or better?

halloween alley is way over priced. spent 60 bucks there for a basic costume there for my youngest. found almost the exact costume later at value village for less and comes with all the accessories too.  
oh and haloween alley is final sale only, no exchange, no refund. even on unopened merch.

Spirit Halloween is way better than Halloween alley....I found they didn't have near as much selection in styles or sizes and it wasn't organized well. I had to sift through lots to find something to fit my four year old and only two options for my babies that were in her size. It was also more expensive. Won't be shopping there again. I'll just plan for a Winnipeg run to get to spirit Halloween next year if they're not in Brandon.

Their most recent location in the shopper's mall suffered fire damage over the course of the year, which left them seeking new location.  
 
Hoping for their return next year.

...is getting a ton of bad press on social media right now for several of their store brand costumes being culturally inappropriate or outright racist, especially toward aboriginal people. Their management have said they will continue to sell them. So good riddance.  
 
And before anyone starts complaining about PC this or PC that, do you support people walking around in blackface? Cause it's the same thing.

I don't understand why people get upset over costumes. It's just dress up. When we were kids we used to play cowboys and indians and imaginary games like that. Is that considered racist? Really have a low tolerance for comments like that. It's 1 night where you can be whatever you feel like, don't get so butt hurt.

Yes, that is considered racist. Running around with warpaint on popping your hand against your lips imitating aboriginal ceremony IS racist. Just because something USED to be considered okay, doesn't mean it is.  
 
It used to be okay to drink and drive. It used to be okay to OWN people. It used to be okay to put children to work in factories. As we grow as a society, we realize that some of our behaviours and beliefs are outdated and need to adapt and change.  
 
I'm not saying you were a racist for playing that game as a kid. That was considered acceptable then and you probably didn't know better. But to stand today and defend it as an adult, knowing the plight of native people in Canada, and that it's ignorant to make fun of someone's culture, THAT is what makes it racist.

KenJ said "Yes, that is considered racist. Running around with warpaint on popping your hand against your lips imitating aboriginal ceremony IS racist. Just because something USED to be considered okay, doesn't mean it is.     It used to be okay to drink and drive. It used to be okay to OWN people. It used to be okay to put children to work in factories. As we grow as a society, we realize that some of our behaviours and beliefs are outdated and need to adapt and change.     I'm not saying you were a racist for playing that game as a kid. That was considered acceptable then and you probably didn't know better. But to stand today and defend it as an adult, knowing the plight of native people in Canada, and that it's ignorant to make fun of someone's culture, THAT is what makes it racist. "

Took the words out of my mouth. Thank you for putting this so nicely.

Knucklehead said "I don't understand why people get upset over costumes. It's just dress up. When we were kids we used to play cowboys and indians and imaginary games like that. Is that considered racist? Really have a low tolerance for comments like that. It's 1 night where you can be whatever you feel like, don't get so butt hurt. "

That is the problem. Everything is symbolic now a days and you need to be politically correct. It isn't Halloween anymore it is Dress Up but do not offend anyone day. You can't have an imagination anymore or you have some disorder. Heck I still say Merry Christmas. I don't care if you want me to say Seasons Greetings instead. I am part Ukrainian. I was always the blunt of a lot of jokes. I could care less. Cowboys and Indians I had friends that were farm boys and native buddies that would dress up together. Is it still racist if the so called race plays the part? Or is it all fine then?

Here we go again.  
 
NO ONE CARES if you say "Merry Christmas". No one. You can wish people a Merry Christmas all day long. The problem is when someone works in say, a government office, they shouldn't say it. No one is implying that you as an individual can't say it, they are simply saying that schools and government offices and the like should not, because they are public and serve taxpayers, regardless of their religious affiliation.  
 
I am as non-religious as a person can be, and I have ZERO problem with someone wishing me a Merry Christmas. I even (gasp!) say it back sometimes! I have never once met someone who gets offended by that phrase unless it's used in an inappropriate place.  
 
Again, just because something "used to be okay" doesn't mean it is worth defending today.  
 
And again, you played that game as a kid (and even if your native friends played too), you're not a bad person... but as an adult you should realize that "Cowboys vs. Indians" is actually not a good concept for a game - it's making light of a couple hundred years of genocide committed against aboriginal people by European invaders. We shouldn't celebrate cowboys killing Indians. Anymore than we should celebrate Nazis killing Jews in concentration camps. Or am I missing something?

I don't see it as making fun of a culture at all. Why can't people see it as people want to be like that instead of taking offence to it? A kid dresses up as an native american or whatever, maybe its an opportunity to explain some history to them?  
 
Anyways I'm not gonna get into i just simply wanted to know if Spirit Halloween was in town or not this year. I'm not ever going to boycott them or anything I love their store.

I think we're talking about 2 different things.  
 
In example one, we'll take a child who's interested in aboriginal culture. They saw a pow-wow or ceremony and were fascinated by the feathers and the beads and the dancing. And for Halloween they tell mom and dad they want to look like the people they saw. It's still not a good costume, but there's certainly nothing inherently disrespectful about the motivation behind it.  
 
In example two, we have a corporation that is appropriating aboriginal culture and treating it like a joke by using ridiculous names and by sexualizing it for white folks to have a laugh about it.  
 
Two totally different things.

How did a question about a Halloween store turn into a racial equality debate? Start another thread guys...

Omg right. I asked a simple question and people get their panties in a bunch over it lol.  
 
I got my answer, that's all I wanted. No Spirit Halloween this year. End of discussion.

What I don't understand is the cost of these costumes. There must be huge profit in these items. Looking at Party Stuff's website out of Winnipeg costumes are the same as here. Cat in the hat-70 bucks. Basically a black cheaply made onesie and striped top hat. These are mass produced and cheap quality. I must be in the wrong business.

Fishin Guy said "What I don't understand is the cost of these costumes. There must be huge profit in these items. Looking at Party Stuff's website out of Winnipeg costumes are the same as here. Cat in the hat-70 bucks. Basically a black cheaply made onesie and striped top hat. These are mass produced and cheap quality. I must be in the wrong business. "

You can get the same cheap costumes on ebay for half the price, same maker and everything. The only thing I worry about on ebay is sizing. sometimes sizes are waaaay off. I'd rather try it on and buy it, than buy it and then try it on.

Was so bummed they weren't back this year. I find that Halloween Alley doesn't have the cool knick knack stuff that Spirit did. I love skulls/ sugar skulls and it was cool to be able to get candle holders, cups, etc at Spirit

I loved all the little knick knacks too! And I liked some of the make up and FX kits they had! I think my best buy was the vampire single teeth that you can mould to your actual teeth instead of having the full set that make it awkward to talk. I have used that kit at least 3 years and they still work great!

Sweet deal! Hope they come back next year!