It’s a deep title for what is going to seem like the trivial topic but here we go.
This year for Halloween Lush and David’s Tea (among others I am sure) have really embraced the New Age Movement and are using it to bolster marketing material. I found myself really bothered by it but I also LOVE me the Halloween cup every year… I’ve collected them all since we got David’s here.
When I visited the David’s Tea site to see “Can’t wait for Samhain? Savor the anticipation with this charming 10-day countdown. “ I was shocked! How could they use my new year and a very special time of year to sell their tea and tea-infused chocolates?! The whole Halloween line is chock-full of this type of marketing.
How insensitive!
How appropriative!
How, nice?
As soon as ai felt myself getting worked up about this I had to take a little step back. I wanted the mug, I knew a bunch of friends who were all saying how much I was going to LOVE this year’s mug and how it was so ME. As much as I hate the idea of these groups using my religion to sell their products, I admittedly don’t know how many pagans they have on their team. Maybe this does reflect their values more than I know. Moreover, if we normalize Paganism perhaps, we can get closer to green cemeteries, or recognized religious status in our political and vocational lives.
I am not calling this a win; they could have stuck to “can’t wait for Halloween?” or avoided having a Lush Reading day where staff will read your Lush Tarot Cards. But helping people to see these things as normal and similar to other religions can’t be all bad.
This is going to keep happening, and it’s going to happen to more than just Paganism. If the mug isn’t hurting anyone and it’s resonating with someone else, then good.
There is an argument to be made here for buying local and for doing your craft a disservice though tools but that will again come back to a balance. I could write a whole blog (or ten on that topic). I use my Halloween mugs all year round and they are great conversation starters. I take great pleasure in making my tea in these mugs and people always get a kick out of them.
I bought the mug and I got the Monster Bath Bomb for my toddler. I am not a sellout, this is not a fad, I am a Druid, I am Pagan, I am proud, and I won’t hide it.
Please enjoy your trip through this door, your time spent exploring Paganism will never be wasted.
Blessed be
Karen