The festival of Samhain — or you might know it as Halloween. But it all began as a Celtic Festival where costumed people would try to scare away evil spirits. Later on, in the eighth century, Pope Gregory III declared Nov. 1 as a time to honor all saints, thus becoming All Saints Day. The evening before, Oct. 31, incorporating the tradition of Samhain, was known as All Hallow’s Eve. Today, Halloween is less about scaring away ghosts or celebrating saints and more about tricking, treating and candy-eating for kids and drinking, drinking and more drinking for adults. But I guess the scary part is just how much Americans are spending on, and in preparation for, the spooky night. I’ll give you a hint: It is expected that Americans will spend $480 million on costumes for their pets alone. Boo!
Let’s talk candy
It’s not just kids who are craving sugar on All Hallow’s Eve. Adults are lining up at the store to buy the innumerable confections designed for the sweet-tooth lover’s holiday. In fact, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), a whopping 95 percent of Americans are planning on buying candy or some type of sweets this year, and most likely by the bushel full. It is projected that nearly $3 billion will be spent on candy this Halloween, averaging $17 per person, according to a study by Ibotta.
Well, except for Oregon, where Oregonians spend an average of $40 per person.
The bloody costumes
Gone are the days when costumes were fashioned from Mom’s old skirt and blouse to make a fortune teller or Dad’s torn pants to outfit a hobo. According to the National Retail Foundation, seven in 10 people plan to buy a costume this year, and we are not talking just for the kids either. It is expected that $3.4 billion will be spent on costumes this year in the United States at approximately $96 and $77 for men and women respectively.
And the decor
The NRF has it that nearly three-quarters of participants for Halloween will not only be buying candy and costumes, but they also will be spending their hard-earned bucks on decorating their apartments and houses. Quite a bit, too. Spending for decor will come close to $3 billion this year, which is upward of $37 per person. That’s a lot of pumpkins!
Takeaway
This year’s Halloween will indeed be a boom for the U.S. economy, with projections for spending nearing $9.5 billion. Remember, there are plenty of ways to save on costumes, candy and decorating. When it comes to candy, try buying in bulk and non-name brands. Also, apparently four days prior to Halloween is when candy is at its cheapest (just as an FYI). As for costumes, ditch the pop-up stores and consider going thrifting instead. There are a tons of bargains, and the merch is usually pretty funky. Last but not least, the decorations: Try DIY! Sweep the friendly internet, especially sites like Pinterest, for inspiration.
Have something to add to this story? Comment below or join the discussion on Facebook.
Header image: ShutterStock
