BETHLEHEM, Pa. — As leaves change colors and pumpkins pop up on porches, people are digging a little deeper into their pockets for festive fall fun.
Halloween spending in the United States is expected to reach a record $10.6 billion, surpassing last year’s record $10.1 billion, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.
- Halloween spending in the United States is expected to reach a record $10.6 billion this year
- Consumers are expected to spend money on handing out candy, decorating their yards and homes, carving pumpkins and throwing or attending parties
- Area pop-up costume stores are helping people keep costs down with discounts and low-cost offerings
It will be driven by participation in Halloween-related activities returning to pre-pandemic levels, with 69% of consumers planning to celebrate the holiday this month, up from 65% in 2021 and comparable with 68% in 2019, the survey showed.
“Halloween is an exciting time for many families, and that enthusiasm is reflected in the number of Americans who plan to celebrate the holiday this year,” NRF President Matthew Shay said. “As consumers continue to return to pre-pandemic behaviors, retailers are prepared to meet that demand and help make this holiday a fun and memorable one.”
The main ways consumers plan to mark the occasion include handing out candy (67%), decorating their homes or yards (51%), dressing up in costume (47%), carving pumpkins (44%) and throwing or attending Halloween parties (28%).
Mirroring last year’s survey, one in five participants plans to dress up their pets in costumes.
It's estimated consumers will spend an average of $100 – on par with 2021’s record of $103 – on Halloween candy, decorations, cards and costumes.
Popular ways to save cash include buying bulk candy bags with smaller packages of sweets and prioritizing do-it-yourself décor, made from existing items and discounted crafting supplies.
For costumes, people can save money in a number of ways, including shopping at consignment stores that sell older costumes and borrowing or trading costumes with friends, financial journalist Natasha Gabrielle said in a recent Motley Fool article.
Another great way to save money on costumes is mixing and matching new items with clothing and accessories that you already own, Gabrielle said.
“For example, you can buy essential accessories like a tiara, cape, hat, or wings -- and combine those items with what you already have at home,” Gabrielle said. “You could save money by not purchasing a complete costume set -- and the costume will come across as more original, too.”
At Spirit Halloween at South Mall on Lehigh Street in Salisbury Township, Alexandra Perez was shopping for Spider-Man costumes for her sons Jacob, 6, and Antonio, 8. The boys want to be Spider-Man and Batman, respectively.
“Everything seems to cost more these days. Recent years have been bad, but inflation’s definitely made things worse..."Alexandra Perez
In past years, Perez repurposed existing garments for their costumes, including blue overalls and yellow shirts when they were Minions and those same overalls with red and green shirts when they were Mario and Luigi.
“Everything seems to cost more these days,” Perez said. “Recent years have been bad, but inflation’s definitely made things worse. Unfortunately, superhero costumes are kind of hard to make at home. So I’m probably going to have to shell out more than normal this year.”
Spirit Halloween, founded in 1983, is the largest Halloween retailer in the country, with more than 1,450 locations in strip centers and malls throughout North America. Other Lehigh Valley pop-up stores can be found on Nazareth Pike in Bethlehem Township (near Dollar Tree), Grape Street in Whitehall Township (the former Michaels space at Whitehall Mall) and 25th Street in Wilson (formerly Kmart).
“We’ve more than doubled our number of retail locations over the last decade, and we continue to see enthusiasts’ passion for the Halloween lifestyle grow,” Spirit Halloween spokeswoman Nikki Balles said.
In addition to Spirit Halloween, a mom-and-pop Halloween store is in its 22nd year in the Lehigh Valley.
Halloween Costume Outlet opened Sept. 15 and will operate daily through Nov. 6 at 2148 W. Union Blvd. in Bethlehem, next to Marshalls.
Over the years, husband-and-wife owners Alan and Pamela Kleinschmidt have set up their business in shopping centers on MacArthur Road in Whitehall and other venues throughout the area.
They’ve built a loyal following by carrying thousands of costumes, including unique pieces not found at chain stores, and helping customers save money whenever possible.
To help customers not break the bank, the Kleinschmidts “bargain shop so the customers don’t have to,” Alan Kleinschmidt said. They snatch up closeout deals and communicate regularly with vendors to see if any costume lines are being discontinued.
Prime examples are elaborate dresses and other pieces from a leading costume company, InCharacter, which are available for more than 50% off their original price.
“A lot of people come in who are doing Halloween weddings, with the bride and groom encouraging guests to dress up in fanciful costumes,” Kleinschmidt said.
“People looking for these types of costumes are blown away by our selection as well as our prices. We carry well-made, form-fitting dresses that feature corsets with boning for $39 and $49. These are dresses that normally sell for around $129.”
“As a family business, we always try to pass along any savings to the customers,” Pamela Kleinschmidt added. “We want them to be happy and hopefully come back to us again in the future. So we really try to make their shopping experience enjoyable by offering fair prices, keeping the store organized by themes and having dressing rooms for them to try on costumes.
"Customers also can exchange their costumes – exchange, not cash back – up until Oct. 15, but the costumes can’t be worn.”
In addition to themed sections such as clowns, pirates, retro looks and horror characters, costumes also are organized by age groups, from newborns to adults.
Separated by just a few aisles are sections featuring adult superhero costumes and kids fairy tale costumes, including Disney-branded outfits such as Belle, Jasmine and Cinderella, along with generic princess costumes at nearly half the price.
“Many people compliment us on our selection of baby costumes as well as our selection of plus-size costumes, as those are very limited at other stores,” Pamela Kleinschmidt said.
The Kleinschmidts also help customers looking to save money by offering suggestions on ways to incorporate new items such as wigs, glasses and other accessories with existing items that they already may have in their closets.
Many customers come in just for a certain aspect of a costume – there is a mask section, wig section, stocking section, shoe section and makeup section.
“We give them ideas,” Pamela Kleinschmidt added. “So if two people want to be [Dr. Seuss'] Thing 1 and Thing 2, we’d probably suggest striped socks, blue wigs and maybe tutus, which they could pair with sweatshirts that they customize with 'Thing 1' or 'Thing 2' on them.”
The Kleinschmidts’ Halloween store is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays, with hours expanding closer to Halloween. An after-Halloween sale will feature up to 50% off select items.
For more information visit the store's Facebook page.