Tripp Fenderson

With the downturn in the economy, we’ve made some changes to how we’ll pay for Halloween this year.

More than 36 million children will hit the streets across the US this Halloween, asking for candy from their neighbors.

With just 18 days to go, many homes are already decked out in orange - flags flying, jack-o-lanterns carved, and fake cobwebs covering the bushes. Taking a stroll through the neighborhood and looking at all the decorations, it’s hard to believe we’re in a recession.

At the Fenderson Manor, we’re pretty frugal when it comes to Halloween decorations. We keep it simple—a couple of pumpkins on the front porch and a bowl of candy for the kids. Heck, this year, we went so far as to find a corporate sponsor so we wouldn’t have to spend the $5.00 on a pumpkin (thank you Pepperidge Farm, makers of Goldfish Snack Crackers).

But we’re the exception.

The National Retail Federation’s annual study shows that Halloween continues to grow in importance for retailers, coming in behind Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day in terms of per person spending. Sales have grown from $2 billion in 2003 to well over $5 billion. The group expects the average person to spend approximately $65.00 this year on costumes, candy, and decorations.

Do you go all out with Halloween decorations?

With the down-turn in the economy, are you planning any changes to your celebrations this year?