Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. There’s a sense of effortless joy that comes with it: brainstorming clever costumes with friends, the constant bowls of candy everywhere you go, and the influx of pumpkin porch decor. It’s all so whimsical, no matter your age. Not to mention it’s the holiday that kickstarts them all. We leap from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas and Hanukkah, and boom—it’s a New Year.
As a child, Halloween is exhilarating because of the opportunity to dress in costume and hoard what feels like a seemingly endless supply of candy. But, as you get older, you realize that Halloween is one of the few holidays shared amongst friends, free of family drama or expectations. There are no gifts to exchange or arguing over who gets to cook what. There are costume parties, spooky flicks, and faux cobwebs. The weather turns cozy, you leave expectations and judgments at the door, and sweets become the expectation, not the exception.
It’s also the time of year when brands open their theoretical marketing playbooks to start creating limited-edition concepts and campaigns that match the season. Think Pillsbury’s pumpkin and bat cookies or Starbucks’ ever-popular pumpkin spice lattes. According to the National Retail Federation, total Halloween spending for 2023 is anticipated to reach a record $12.2 billion. That exceeds last year’s record of $10.6 billion. Furthermore, a record number of people—73% approximately—will participate in Halloween-related activities this year, up from 69% in 2022.
