Oct 28, 2026

Question of the Day: Which Halloween category will consumers spend the most on: candy, decorations, or costumes?

Bags of candy, decorations, and the perfect costume all add up. Which one takes the biggest bite out of Halloween budgets?

Answer: Costumes

Shoppers are expected to spend $4.4 billion on costumes, $4.3 billion on decorations, and $4.1 billion on candy this Halloween.

NRF infographic titled “Halloween shopping,” with two charts. The left chart, “Total expected spending,” shows yearly Halloween spending growing from $6.9 billion in 2015 to a record $13.5 billion in 2026. Spending dipped to $8.0 billion in 2020 and to $11.6 billion in 2024. The right chart, “Consumer purchasing plans,” shows the percent of Halloween shoppers planning to buy each category in 2024, 2025, and 2026. Candy: 95%, 96%, 96%. Decorations: 75%, 78%, 78%. Costumes: 67%, 71%, 71%. Greeting cards: 33%, 38%, 42%. Source: NRF’s 2026 Halloween Spending Survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.

Questions:

  • Would you rather buy a new costume each year or make one from things you already have? Why?
  • Would you rather shop for Halloween early to spread out the cost or wait for last-minute sales? Why?
  • Where would you draw the line on how much is too much to spend on Halloween each year? Why?

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the Numbers: (NRF)

According to the National Retail Federation, “Consumer spending on Halloween is expected to reach $13.5 billion this year.” While “Candy remains the most popular purchase, with 96% of consumers planning to buy sweets, accounting for $4.1 billion in spending. Decorations follow at 78% and $4.3 billion, while 71% of shoppers are expected to spend $4.4 billion on costumes.” (NRF Halloween survey of 7,889 consumers, September 22, 2026)

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About the Author

Yonathan Tadesse

Yonathan is a Dallas-based Curriculum Designer at NGPF with 12 years of experience as a high school math, college transition, and financial literacy teacher. An award-winning educator, he has a track record of launching innovative programs at the high school level that expand access and opportunity for students. He is a graduate of Emory University and is passionate about advancing financial education for all students. Outside of work, Yonathan loves spending time with his wife and two kids, working out, playing chess and poker, and learning new things.

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