Halloween – From Paganism to Acceptance
 

Halloween scaring up business
By KEITH ROYSDON

Asked how much she would spend on a costume for the annual -- and increasingly grown-up-oriented -- holiday, Smith laughs and says, "There's never too much to spend as long as you look cute."

Smith, boyfriend Jacob Armantrout and Smith's mom, Richelle Smith, had just perused the collection of costumes at the Spirit Halloween store at Muncie Mall. They came away empty-handed, but with weeks left until Halloween, they said they have plenty of time to look.

"We don't know what we're going to be this year," said Smith, who said she dressed as a genie in a bottle last year. Armantrout -- who said he could imagine spending as much as $30 on a costume -- said most of his costume last year consisted of a mask of Michael Myers, the killer from the Halloween movies.

Richelle Smith said her family would almost certainly spend less on Halloween this year "because of the economy."

But they may be alone in exercising fiscal restraint.

Spending up this year
Visa, the credit card company, estimated earlier this month that Americans were expected to spend $47 on Halloween candy and decorations this year -- 18 percent more than the average of $40 consumers spent in 2007.

Visa said the family-oriented focus of the holiday will prompt many consumers to maintain or increase their relatively modest Halloween budgets.

But while Halloween remains a big holiday for kids, more and more adults are enjoying the holiday -- and spending money to experience it to its fullest, said Tonia Farinha, a spokesman for Spirit Halloween, a 25-year-old retailer of Halloween costumes and decor that has, for the past nine years, been owned by Spencer's.

"There's been a huge growth in Halloween over the years," Farinha said. "More people are becoming involved in the holiday, more adults are becoming involved. Adults want to have a good time and enjoy the holiday along with their children."

While men like scary and gory costumes inspired by hit movies, women have made costumes like Sexy Cop, Sexy French Maid and Sexy Nurse among Spirit Halloween's top sellers.

"Women like to be beautiful and men like to be scary and gory," Farinha said.

Raising funds
Halloween Spirit will have more than 625 stores around the country this year, and uses its share of the market not only to make money but raise money for charity. The company collected more than $200,000 for children's hospitals last year and has a goal of more than $500,000 this year. Donations from customers and staff provide books, videos and presents for 50 children's hospitals nationwide.

Besides local celebration shops like Party Wizards, Halloween U.S.A. competes with Halloween Spirit. The Michigan-based company has opened in the former Circuit City near McGalliard and Morrison roads.

"We'll have 160 stores around the country this year," said Amy Gajda of Halloween U.S.A.

Farinha said this year's Spirit Halloween operations are enlivened by its presidential mask index, which she said has accurately predicted recent presidential races.

This year, Farinha said, Barack Obama masks are outselling masks of John McCain.

Contact business editor Keith Roysdon at 213-5828.