Oct. 21, 1999
From costumes to candy to home decorations, chances are you're spending a lot of money on Halloween this year.
If so, you're not alone.
Next to Christmas, Halloween has become big business for retailers.
NBC's Anita Padilla reports.
It seems a growing number of people these days are dressing up more than just their kids for Halloween.
Kathleen Kennedy/Halloween shopper:
"It's getting up there with Christmas as far as Halloween lights and Halloween
candles and Halloween decor."
She's not the only one making a monster out of this holiday. More and more people are turning what used to be one night of trick or treating into a month-long event. In fact, next to Christmas, Halloween has retailers screaming for joy.
Chuck Giovenco/costume retailer:
"We've increased our house and home outdoor-indoor decorations this year. Every
year we try to add something new because people are getting into it like it's
Christmas. So they're doing it for Halloween. "
Laura Pasquale/Halloween shopper:
"Every year it keeps adding up, getting new things to put out in the yard, make
the house up, make the house more spooky."
Whether you like it spooky or cutesy, experts say the reason Halloween is becoming so popular among customers is because it's one holiday where you can't go wrong.
Professor Mary Ann McGrath/Loyola University:
"There's nothing you can do to mess up your celebration of this day, it's going
to be a success no matter what you do. "
But planning ahead always helps. More and more retailers are saying people are buying their costumes earlier. So if you don't know what you want to be yet, you need to figure it out, or you too could be missing out on that great costume.
