There?s a lot more to the business of Halloween than just Snickers, Twizzlers and Milky Ways, as consumers are expected to spend more than $5 billion this year on costumes, decorations and props to celebrate the haunted holiday.
“Halloween is becoming as big as Christmas, especially in this area,” said Joseph Driscoll, store manager of Spirit Halloween in Glen Burnie.
Annual spending on Halloween supplies continues to increase, according to the National Retail Federation?s Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey. The average consumer plans to spend $64.82 on the holiday, up from $59.06 last year.
Of the total spending, the average consumer spends about $23.33 on costumes, $19.84 on candy, $17.73 on decorations and $3.92 on greeting cards, according to the survey.
Stores like Spirit Halloween typically open at the beginning of September and handle a customer crunch in the days leading up to Oct. 31.
“At the beginning of the season, props are the big sellers, like life-size Jason and Devil props,” Driscoll said. “Closer to Halloween, it?s all costumes and decorations.”
Hollywood has gotten people excited for Halloween, with an increasing number of horror movies playing on big screens these days, Driscoll said.
In total, Halloween consumers plan to spend $1.82 billion on costumes, $1.55 billion on candy, $1.39 billion on decorations and $310 million on greeting cards, according to the survey.
Adults have become more involved in Halloween as restaurants and bars host costume contestsand neighborhoods judge homes for the best decorations, said Kathy Grannis, spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation.
“It?s absolutely more than just a kids? holiday, and it?s become more of a seasonal event,” Grannis said. “There?s more opportunities for adults to participate in Halloween than just trick-or-treating with their kids.”
