Retailers are cackling like witches... all the way to the bank.
North Americans are expected to spend billions on Halloween this year. In the U.S. the National Retail Federation pegs it at $6.9 billion, making the second biggest decorating event after Christmas.
And that's not counting the estimated $1 billion Canadians will spend. Halloween is big business.
"We've been open for almost two months now and we've been busy from day one. That's how big it's gotten," says Traci Jorgenson, Manager of a Monster Halloween location in Ottawa's west end, one of the many big box Halloween stores that pop up at this time of year.
Halloween just isn't about kids' costumes and candy anymore. Monster Halloween sells everything from adult costumes to make-up to inflatable displays and animatronic props that can cost upward of a thousand dollars.
Jorgenson says Halloween is popular with adults who, in this day and age, have no problem indulging their inner-child. "You can sort of find the corollary in how, all of a sudden, all these superhero movies and fantasy movies are so bit. It's that little break from reality, and Halloween is a piece of that.," she says.
Mike Gardner can only guess how much money he's spent on Halloween decorations. "Maybe five or seven thousand," he muses.
He and his wife spend over a month preparing and building their frightening front yard display which is now so massive it actually takes up two neighbouring yards as well.
For the Gardners, Halloween has become the new Christmas. That's partly because, when it comes to the weather, Halloween is more Canadian-friendly. "I'm not one that wants to be digging decorations out come snowtime," says Mike Gardner. "So this is good."
In a recent survey, Retailmenot.ca provided some more frightening food for thought. The average Canadian will spend $52 on Halloween costumes, $43 on decorations, and $42 on candy.
And finally, this scary stat: Statistics Canada estimates Canadians spent over $23 million last year... on pumpkins!
