Craig Nigrelli

IT’S SCARY HOW FAST THE YEAR GOES. IT’S ALMOST OCTOBER – WHICH MEANS HALLOWEEN IS JUST WEEKS AWAY. BUT IF YOU ARE LIKE MANY SHOPPERS – YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR – BECAUSE YOU LIKELY STARTED YOUR HALLOWEEN SHOPPING ALREADY.

IN FACT – ACCORDING TO A RECENT SURVEY OF NEARLY 8,000 PEOPLE BY THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION – 47 PERCENT BEGAN THEIR HALLOWEEN SHOPPING BEFORE OCTOBER  – THAT IS UP FROM 32 PERCENT 10 YEARS AGO.

WHAT’S THE REASON FOR THE HALLOWEEN HEAD-START?

48 PERCENT OF EARLY SHOPPERS  SAY IT’S BECAUSE THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FALL SEASON WHILE 38 PERCENT SAY IT’S TO AVOID LAST-MINUTE SHOPPING STRESS – WHILE 37 PERCENT SAY HALLOWEEN IS JUST THEIR FAVORITE HOLIDAY. SIMPLE AS PUMPKIN PIE.

AND SHOPPERS ARE SPENDING “SCARY” AMOUNTS OF MONEY ON THIS HOLIDAY – THE NRF SAYING TOTAL HALLOWEEN SPENDING IS EXPECTED TO REACH 11 POINT 6 BILLION DOLLARS IN 2024 – JUST UNDER THE 12 POINT 2 BILLION RECORD SET LAST YEAR.

SO WHAT EXACTLY ARE PEOPLE BUYING TO CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAY?

NOT SURPRISINGLY – THREE MAIN ITEMS – 3 POINT FIVE BILLION DOLLARS ON CANDY AND 3 POINT 7 BILLION ON BOTH DECORATIONS AND COSTUMES.

AND IF THERE IS ANY INDICATOR OF THE STATE OF POP CULTURE IN AMERICA — IT’S HALLOWEEN COSTUMES.

THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION SAYING THE TOPIC COSTUME FOR KIDS THIS YEAR WILL BE SPIDER-MAN – 2 POINT 6 MILLION PLANNING TO DRESS UP AS MARVEL’S WEBSLINGER. THAT’S FOLLOWED BY HALLOWEEN STAPLES OF GHOST, PRINCESS AND WITCH.

AS FOR ADULTS, WITCHES TOP THE CHARTS – WITH 5 POINT 8 MILLION KIDS AT HEART DRESSING UP IN WICKED ATTIRE. VAMPIRE COMES IN NEXT WITH 3 MILLION ADULTS DONNING THE DRACULA LOOK.

BUT WHILE THE NRF GIVES A MORE TRADITIONAL OUTLOOK ON THIS YEAR’S COSTUMES –RETAILER SPIRIT HALLOWEEN HAS A DIFFERENT TAKE –

DROPPING ITS ANNUAL LIST OF THE HOTTEST COSTUME TRENDS OF 20-24 —  THE RETAILER’S PICKS ARE ANYTHING BUT THE USUAL CAST OF CHARACTERS.

TIK TOK TRENDS AND YOUTUBE SENSATIONS MAKE UP A GOOD PORTION OF SPIRIT HALLOWEEN’S LIST – INCLUDING CHARACTERS FROM SERIES POPULAR WITH GENERATION ALPHA LIKE THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS

AND SKIBIDI TOILET

YES, NO GHOSTS OR WITCHES ON THIS LIST.

SIDE NOTE — THAT LATTER SERIES IS SO POPULAR IT’S BEING DEVELOPED INTO A TV AND MOVIE FRANCHISE BY DIRECTOR MICHAEL BAY.

SO — IT APPEARS MANY ALREADY HAVE YOUR HALLOWEEN PLANS IN ORDER — WHETHER YOU PLAN TO GO TRICK OR TREATING AS A SKELETON OR AS SPEAKERMAN.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI.

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