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Letter to the editor

Get dressed, we're going out

By MARK ALBRIGHT, Times Staff Writer
Published October 29, 2007

In a tradition that started centuries ago when the Celts dressed up after the harvest to ward off evil spirits, the rituals that evolved into today's Halloween have spawned a big industry.

Halloween is forecast to generate more than $7-billion in retail sales, a bit more than last year. And that doesn't include Halloween events - some gory, many not-so-scary - that have turned into an off-season growth vehicle for theme parks and attractions. While 41 percent of Americans will sit out the entire holiday, according to BIG Research, market trends reveal much about how the rest celebrate.

How much do people spend on Halloween?

The average adult is expected to fork out $64.82, up $20 from 2001. Among those who spend in specific categories: budgets are $21 for candy, $12 for cards and $38.50 for costumes.

Are sales up or down?

Forecasts are for slightly increased spending, but some stores say it has been slow. Half-price sales to clear unsold merchandise, including candy, were common as early as last Wednesday. Some cite the economy, others blame a calendar that puts Halloween on a Wednesday.

Do a lot of people decorate?

Halloween has become the second biggest decorating holiday after Christmas. Decoration sales grew 21 percent to $3.2-billion in 2006 over 2005, according to Unity Marketing. In fact, 48 percent of homes will have some decoration inside or outside.

Words to the wise about candles?

Halloween is the fifth biggest day of the year for candle fires behind Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, News Year's Day and New Year's Eve. The National Fire Protection Association suggests looking for flame-resistant costumes, being careful with billowy get-ups and putting battery-powered lights in pumpkins.

What are this year's most popular costumes?

For girls, it's still princesses, witches and fairies. For boys, it's pirates and superheroes like Spider-Man. Hannah Montana outsells Harry Potter. Vampires and Dracula are out. Gore and bloody body parts are in, parents willing. In rentals for party-going young adults, however, some things don't change.

"More people went retro: Marilyn Monroe, Liberace, zoot suits, Roaring 20s. With young women it's all sex, sex, sex. They want to know first if the costume comes with a bustier and I have to tell them we aren't that kind of store," said Yvonne Bernard, owner of the House of Make Believe, a theatrical costume-maker and rental store in Clearwater. "The biggest new thing with young men is any character from the movie 300. All they need is a gladiator helmet, a loincloth and a sword."

What's with all those pet costume contests?

Retailers have seized on pet owners' yen for cute ways to treat their pets like part of the family. For as little at $5.99, Fido can be decked out as Darth Vader, a witch, cowboy, clown or a red-horned devil, all with distinctive headgear. This year pets in 11 percent of all homes, 7-million of them, will be wrestled into a Halloween costume, estimates the National Retail Federation. Dog training expert Kathy Santo, a onetime Tampa resident who writes a House Beautiful column called Dog Shrink, says it's a great way to bond with a willing pet.

"That's a bit strange," said Stephanie Shain, outreach director for the Humane Society of the United States. "If your pet is used to being handled, it may be fine. Just know it can be very stressful because many pets really hate it."

Mark Albright can be reached at albright@sptimes.com or 727-893-8252.

[Last modified October 29, 2007, 01:08:43]