THE other day, I noticed my 11-year-old daughter Adriana was even more engrossed in her iPad than usual.
I always check what she’s watching, so I went over and peered over her shoulder.
I was met with a video of an American girl around her age, waxing lyrical and plucking items out of a large, orange pumpkin-shaped parcel.
“Here’s my bat, here’s my candy, here’s my wand,” she was saying, holding all her spooky items up to the camera.
I asked what on earth she was watching and Adriana rolled her eyes.
“Er, Mum . . . boo boxes obviously,” she sighed.
“Boo boxes?” I asked, confused.
Like most Gen Z and Alpha trends, I learn about them from my daughter.
Every day there is a new phrase, language or meme I need to understand.
Now she explained that boo boxes are a trend all over social media — packed with Halloween goodies from sweets and chocolate to plastic bats and fake vampire teeth — a bit like a Christmas stocking, but in the form of a pumpkin-themed box, especially for Halloween.
And guess who’s responsible for putting together — and paying for — these boxes and parcels?
I sat and watched another video with her and was amazed to see older girls and even grown women talking about how their partner had gifted them a boo box.
All I could think was: “Yet another US trend coming across the pond that we really do not need.”
These were parcels ranging from simple, paper-covered boxes, to full on hampers bursting with expensive-looking treats including high-end skincare items.
“Is this big among your friends too?” I asked.
She nodded.
“Everyone’s talking about it. One friend’s mum is making her one,” she said.
Yes, us mums!
My heart sank as she fluttered her eyelashes to drop an almighty hint.
That night I looked for a few more online.
TikTok was the worst – some parents go all out to impress their kids with over-the-top boo boxes, complete with designer costumes, food and even jewellery.
I know it’s all a bit of fun but I despaired.
As a mum, there’s enough pressure to follow all the seasonal trends, from Christmas Eve boxes and stockings to matching PJs and Easter Egg hunts. And now this?
It’s simply putting more pressure on hard-up mums who are already saving for Christmas.
And the fact that so much of it is plastic “tat” that’s non-recyclable means it’s not great for the planet either. Cue more guilt.
But equally I don’t want my daughter to be the only one missing out if this really is the trend of the season.
Missing out
I decided to do a bit of research.
I tapped #boobaskets into TikTok and saw it had 72.8k posts.
One video entitled ”Boo basket for Bestie” had a staggering 2.7 million views.
This featured a package bursting with Halloween and autumn-inspired beauty products from premium brands.
Another YouTube video entitled “Boo Baskets Sibling Gift Exchange” had 996k views.
This video featured ten kids buying items for each other’s boo boxes, including basics like toothpaste and skincare products, but also sweets, chocolates and witch-shaped bubble gum, as well as pyjamas and hair scrunchies.
Watching this just made me feel exasperated and exhausted — not just at the exorbitant cost, but also at the sheer amount of time wasted gathering all this stuff together and packaging it up, when Christmas comes just a few weeks later.
Can’t these kids wait a few more weeks for their presents?
One bloke on YouTube, “Paulboy”, takes us with him as he reluctantly builds a boo basket for his girlfriend, filling it with a pair of New Balance trainers, matching socks, fancy shampoo, Primark pyjamas and a whole host of spooky-themed accessories.
His caption read: “Mrs said to make her a boo basket lol load of rubbish I do it anyway”.
And herein lies the problem, we all know it’s a marketing con, but often we buy into it regardless.
As a mum, there’s enough pressure to follow all the seasonal trends, from Christmas Eve boxes and stockings to matching PJs and Easter Egg hunts. And now this?
Julie Cook
If this is the next big thing, are we bad mums if we don’t follow?
I asked one mum friend what she thought. She rolled her eyes with exhaustion.
“No way,” she cried.
“Halloween is stressful enough without having to sort this out as well.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Everything about this time of year until Christmas is stress, stress, stress — from the mad dash to find a Halloween outfit, to Bonfire Night and then on to Christmas plays and presents.
Why does there have to be yet another trend we mums have to contend with?
Excuse for spending
Not only does this make it a contest among mums, it also means that kids who don’t get boo boxes might feel hard done by.
What about kids who get very little for Christmas anyway?
Now they will feel left out at Halloween, too.
But another more crafty and artsy mum thought they were a great idea.
“I’m going to make my girls a boo basket each,” she said.
“I’m doing it all myself with bits I’m getting from Amazon or the pound shop.
“It’s virtually costing nothing — and they’ll love it.”
So as Halloween fast approaches, I’m feeling torn between sticking to my guns and going out and quickly hashing together a boo basket.
But like many stressed mums, I find the Halloween season scary enough without yet another excuse for more spending.