• Jay Zagorsky

    Jay Zagorsky (GRS’87,’92), a Questrom School of Business senior lecturer in markets, public policy, and law, can be reached at zagorsky@bu.edu.  Profile

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There are 3 comments on POV: Why Is Halloween Spending Growing When Americans Are Supposedly Cutting Back?

  1. This is a really interesting piece! It is interesting to see that Halloween is defined as an essential celebration, even with larger financial strains on families in America. You mentioned that costume spending has soared even more since 2005, presenting at $3.8B currently. Do you think that has anything to do with the rise of social media and “influencer culture”? It would be interesting to track the correlation between those or something else to try and pinpoint a reason as to why costumes alone make up so much of the Halloween spending.

  2. Halloween spending surging despite economic uncertainty highlights how holidays like this have become “inelastic” spending—people prioritize them even when budgets are tight. Fascinating trend!

  3. It’s fascinating to see how Halloween spending has evolved into a major economic event, given the rise in financial concerns for many households. While the increase in costs due to inflation and population growth is understandable, the real story seems to be the shift in Halloween culture itself. More adults dressing up, extravagant home decorations, and even costumes for pets show how Halloween has transitioned from a children’s holiday to an all-ages celebration. However, the spending data might also hint at the need for escapism—finding joy in holidays to break from day-to-day stresses, even if it costs more.

    I even see this in my neighborhood as more neighbors have been seen to be putting up more decorations. Maybe they are trying to compete with each other but these houses are also the houses that are usually extravagant for Christmas and the holiday season. Maybe there is a trend extending Halloween to the holiday season.

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