Halloween Spending Now Rivals Major Holidays, And Cedar City Is Ready

When it comes to Christmas, I have to admit I'm a little off the deep end. Christmas music starts early in our house (sometimes July), and we've been known to throw in a Christmas movie at any time during the year. So I know the excitement of getting ready for the days we celebrate.

So, I guess it shouldn't surprise me when I see the Halloween decorations and candy showing up in the stores and I noticed that the Spirit Halloween store in Cedar City has already opened for the season. I've watched our celebrations of Halloween change over the years. When I was a kid the October 31^st activities all centered around the kids, and the major spending for the day was on the candy that was going to be handed out to the trick or treaters. If money was spent on costumes, they were for the kids and it was pretty minimal.

Dr. T

In fact, I remember a sheet being cut down, couple of holes around the eyes and lips, with some glitter around the lips, and off I went as Casper the Ghost. Yes, that does explain a lot.

Halloween Spending Now In The Top Ten For U.S. Holidays

Now spending on Halloween has placed it in the top ten for spending for holidays in the U.S. According to that Statista report the majority of Halloween spending is on costumes and decorations (sorry, candy).

For much of the 20th century, Halloween was primarily built around children: costumes, trick-or-treating, school parties, haunted houses and enough candy to make a dentist nervous. Adults were largely the supporting cast. They bought the costumes, handed out the candy and made sure the kids didn't wander into the darkness.

two skeleton near white concrete building with string lights at daytime

Today, Halloween is much more of a multi-generational holiday. Adults have discovered that there is no particular reason to surrender all the fun simply because they stopped attending elementary school.

One major change is the growth of adult Halloween parties and costumes. Bars, restaurants, workplaces and community organizations increasingly hold Halloween events specifically for adults. Costumes have also become more elaborate. What once might have been a plastic mask and a sheet has evolved into elaborate makeup, cosplay and even coordinated family costumes.

Read More: Looking For Scary Haunts? Utah's Got 'Em

Social media has also changed Halloween. A costume is no longer just something you wear; it can become something you photograph, post and share. Decorations have similarly become more elaborate, with some homeowners turning their yards into miniature haunted attractions.

man in black dress shirt beside woman in white mask

Yes, Halloween has changed over the years and why not? In the world we live in today, what's wrong with having another day to celebrate and unwind.

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So perhaps Halloween hasn't really gone from being a children's holiday to an adult holiday. Instead, adults have finally realized what children knew all along: Halloween is too much fun to outgrow.