Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Halloween is a fun, scary time for children and adults alike -- but why does the holiday seem to start so much earlier every year? Decades ago, when I was young, Halloween was a much smaller affair, and people didn't start preparing until mid-October. Today, in my neighborhood near where I grew up in Massachusetts, Halloween decorations start appearing in the middle of summer.
What's changed isn't just when we celebrate but how: Halloween has evolved from a simple folk tradition to a massive commercial event. As a business school professor who has studied the economics of holidays for years, I'm astounded by how the business of Halloween has grown. And understanding why it's such big business may help explain why it's creeping earlier and earlier.
The business of Halloween
Halloween's roots lie in a Celtic holiday honoring the dead, later adapted by the Catholic Church as a time to remember saints. Today it's largely a secular celebration -- one that gives people from all backgrounds a chance to dress up, engage in fantasy and safely confront their fears.
That broad appeal has fueled explosive growth. The National Retail Federation has surveyed Americans about their Halloween plans each September since 2005. Back then, slightly more than half of Americans said they planned to celebrate. In 2025, nearly three-quarters said they would -- a huge jump in 20 years.
