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Americans to Spend Nearly $7B on Halloween Stuff

That's more than double 2005's amount

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 30, 2011 7:35 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Apparently, Halloween is more than just a holiday—it’s an economic stimulus package. Americans plan to spend a whopping $6.9 billion on costumes, decorations, and entertainment related to October 31, according to the National Retail Federation—and that’s more than double 2005’s number from the same survey, $3.3 billion. And it’s not a fluke: Halloween spending dropped by $1 billion to $4.8 billion in 2009, but was back up to $5.8 billion by last year, Time reports.

Of this year’s planned expenditures, about $2.5 billion will go to costumes for people, $2 billion to candy, $2 billion to decorations, and more than $300 million to costumes for pets. Despite the fact that we spend much more on Christmas and other end-of-the-year holidays ($447 billion was last year’s projection), that number is not growing nearly as quickly. Perhaps Halloween spending is up because, during troubled financial times, we want to escape: During the last recession, romance novel sales were up, notes Time. During the Depression, musicals were quite popular.

Americans are planning to spend a lot on this sort of thing this year.
Americans are planning to spend a lot on this sort of thing this year.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 9 comments
Truth777
Sep 30, 2011 11:09 PM CDT
There is no distinction between white and black magic. When magic works, it is always the work of the Devil. (Father Gabriele Amorth)
saucier111
Sep 30, 2011 1:06 PM CDT
The real satan or crooks are organized religion,they cheat and steal billions of dollars a year away from lonely and weak minded people by preaching fire and brimstone. For example,hell was and old english word that when the king James version was translated in 1611,it meant the grave or a hole in the ground.Talk about shit getting blown out of proportion for money and power.
Naked_Emperor
Sep 30, 2011 12:01 PM CDT
The picture looks like Face of the RNC's family portrait.

 
recession • holiday shopping • Halloween • holiday sales

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