Omaha, Neb. – September 29, 2026 -- Halloween shopping has stopped being a one-night errand, with 49% of shoppers starting in September or earlier and total U.S. spending on track to hit a record $13.5 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation.
The average celebrant will spend $115.14, and decorations alone account for $4.3 billion of the total. Retailers point to a simple shift: 74% of Americans now celebrate Halloween, and the holiday has expanded from a single evening into a season that includes early yard decorating, school parties in mid-October, church or neighborhood trunk-or-treats, and door-to-door candy on the 31st.
Families now juggle four separate Halloween shopping lists
A typical household today decorates the porch weeks in advance, sends kids to at least one school party, dresses up a car trunk for a trunk-or-treat, and still buys candy for the final night. Oriental Trading Company, based in Omaha, has built its Halloween assortment around consolidating that into a single order rather than four separate stops.
The retailer carries more than 2,000 décor options, from tabletop pieces to full yard displays, and over 9,000 costumes and accessories for kids, adults and groups. It also offers three new 2026 collections -- Witching Hour, Monster Mayhem and Frightfully Fun -- spanning décor, party supplies and handouts.
Bulk pricing keeps a longer season affordable
A 72-count bag of glow-in-the-dark fangs runs about $3.89, roughly a nickel each, while a 300-count pack of Dum Dum lollipops costs around $27, about 9 cents per piece. Halloween craft kits start at 57 cents each, with more than 1,000 activities available for classroom parties and scout troops.
"Halloween used to be one night. Now celebrations stretch across the season, and families are decorating for more than one night,