Halloween Costumes

Given it's Halloween time, it's also time for the costume report. That is, what costumes will the kids and adults most wear this year. With the economy offering consumers more tricks than treats, Halloween spending is lower this year. I can see that in the scarcity of outdoor Halloween decorations this year. It looks like the Halloween Grinch stole them, given one has to look for them much a harder now. Just last year the neighborhoods were teeming with them. Either ghostly spirit for celebrating Halloween is down due to the economic collapse or people are spending fewer boo bucks this year in decorations.

Consumers are expected to spend on average $55.31 on Halloween this year, compared with $66.54 a year ago, that is according to a survey conducted by BIGresearch that was commissioned by the National Retail Federation. The National Retail Federation is the group that makes surveys and statistical studies of your spending so retailers can better target how to separate you from your money. Anyway, total spending on the Halloween holiday is expected to reach $4.75 billion. A good chunk of that spending goes toward costumes. They estimate 47 million adults and 58 million children across the country plan to dress up for Halloween this year.

A poll of 8,526 consumers was conducted from September 1-9, 2009., and here is what the people said they or their kids will wear on Halloween.
Top Ten Halloween Costumes 2009 for Adults
10. Police Officer
9. Athlete
8. Scary Costume/Mask
7. Devil
6. Cat
5. Wench/Tart/Vixen
4. Clown
3. Pirate
2. Vampire
1. Witch

Top Ten Halloween Costumes 2009 For Kids
10. Batman
9. Tinker Bell
8. Star Wars Character
7. Disney Princess
6. Vampire
5. Pumpkin
4. Pirate
3. Spider-Man
2. Witch
1. Princess

What is striking about the list is that they are all traditional and predictable ones. Nothing trendy there in this age of 5 minutes of fame and trendy slavery. Where is the Michael Jackson costume? Where is the Obama Mask? How about a Swine Flu outfit? Surely there will be a few of those and some crazier ones. But it seems the recession has injured the Great Pumpkin and his monsters this year to. I say "Boo" to that!