By: Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper
Chairman of the Board of Directors, NNPA
Halloween is once again upon us, with more spending than before pandemic levels. Last year in 2024, Americans spent a total of $11.6 billion. This year, expenditures by this same group of Americans are projected to reach an all-time record of $13.1 billion. It is clear that “even with concerns about price increases due to tariffs, Halloween continues to resonate with consumers of all ages,” as 73% of consumers are expected to participate, up from 72% in 2024, and 63% in 2023, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).
Driving the increase in spending this year is the holidays’ popularity amongst millennials and Gen-Z. In addition, data suggest a marked shift back to pre-pandemic activities.
This year consumers are expected to spend $4.3 billion on costumes; $3.9 billion on candy; $4.2 billion for decorations; and $700 million for greeting cards. This will equate to $114.45 per individual or families celebrating the occasion, “nearly $11 more than last year and up from the previous record of $108.24 in 2023,” according to the NRF
Most people are not aware of the history of Halloween or the fact that the observance was brought to America by the Irish during the Potato Famine of 1840. From about 1930 until Mickey Mouse had a Halloween celebration in the 1950s, it had been an occasion for pranks or tricks on people if they didn’t have treats. Disney’s Mickey Mouse Halloween celebration, through animation, was responsible for the growth and takeoff of the celebrations we have today.
But the history is not as much fun as the observance has become. The history is a mixture of the Catholic Church’s observance of All Saint’s Day and All Souls Day, to be celebrated on November 1st. That date was considered a “Holy” day. The evening before became known as “All Hallow’s” Eve. This original celebration dates back more than 2,000 years to the Druids and the time of harvest.
Eventually, the idea surfaced that the spirits of the dead came out the evening before “The Day of the Dead” and sought bodies to inhabit the night before. The idea of the pumpkin was to carve a face and put a candle in the pumpkin, and the pumpkin being placed in one’s window or door. This told passing spirits that the dwelling was already inhabited and, therefore, the spirits would move on to look for another place.
To those of the Catholic faith, in Mexico, the celebration adopted elements of the Aztec culture and was added to the Day of the Dead or “Dia de Muertos,” a time honoring those who have passed on. What has now become a three-day celebration is a time for family gatherings for prayers and remembrances of the dead.
The other side of this story is that in many Protestant faiths, Halloween is seen as a Satanic event. The celebration of witches and demons is forbidden in the Bible. The conclusion of the matter is that one should know and understand that which one celebrates.
