Data Analytics Illustrate Americans Returning to Pre-Pandemic Halloween Spending
After two years of lockdowns and pandemic protocols, Halloween is back for many Americans. Taking a more cautious approach last year, just over half of Americans decided to spend money on decorations and candy in 2020. Last year, kids and adults alike decided to sit out Halloween and remained indoors. This year, an estimated 70% of Americans will be spending $11 billion buying candy, hanging decorations, and celebrating the fall spook spectacular.
Americans Like Dressing Up
Even though Halloween has been celebrated since the 8th century, Halloween costumes—as they’re known today—recently became popular in America. Halloween costumes made their stateside appearance in the 1930’s featuring monsters from early films. Today, a sizable 67% of Halloween spending is on costumes. Witches epitomize Fall spookiness and have held the top spot in America’s Halloween consciousness for the last decade. Witches, vampires, and ghosts are the top 3 adult costume choices according to the National Retail Federation. Spider-Man is tops for kids, followed by princesses, and witches again. With so many people going back out to celebrate, put some effort into this year’s costume. Don’t just throw on a sheet and call yourself a ghost. What am I wearing? I’m wearing a cyberpunk influenced costume this year. LED lights, hot glue, and Amazon.com can go a long way.
Few Tricks, Many Treats
Americans consistently spend 96% of their Halloween cash on candy. This year’s most popular candy is the Reese’s Cup with 22% of Americans loving the peanut butter and chocolate treat. Chocolate candies make up the top 5 with Kit Kat, Snickers, Hershey’s Kisses, and M&M’s coming behind. Somehow, 8 percent of Americans enjoy candy corn. I don’t understand how candy corn has that many fans. It’s sugarfied wax! Candy corn is the Halloween equivalent of that hard sugar candy that comes out only at Christmas. You know what I’m talking about.
Deck the Halls with Webs and Spidey
Halloween decoration spending comes in second to Christmas making up 75% of all spending. In some neighborhoods Halloween hobbyists are installing homemade ghost projectors and motion sensitive boo kits. Skeletons, skulls, and webbing are favorite annual adornments. Although, I saw for the first time, a Halloween gingerbread house in Michaels. Go figure. Jack-o-lanterns are the most popular decoration, and 144 million Americans admit they’re carving one this year. How much are we going to spend on jack-o-lanterns? $804 million will be spent on pumpkins in 2022.
Seventy percent of Americans will be spending $11 billion to trick-or-treat and revel in Halloween this fall. With such a large gain in participation and spending, Halloween is back. Get out there, dress up, and trick-or-treat with your fellow ghosts and goblins safely. Booooooooooooo.
Sources:
https://nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/social-media-influencing-near-record-halloween-spending
https://nrf.com/topics/holiday-and-seasonal-trends/halloween/halloween-data-center
https://trulyexperiences.com/blog/halloween-facts/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/243210/planned-halloween-activities-in-the-united-states/
https://www.statista.com/topics/1727/halloween-in-the-us/#topicHeader__wrapper
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