This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon: October 9, 2008 - What's scarier right now: the economy, or the fake severed head dangling from a tree, still screaming, in the neighbor's yard?
How about this -- despite bad financial times, the National Retail Federation expects consumers to spend $5.77 billion on Halloween this year. That's a rise of 14 percent, according to AdAge.com, a trade Web site of the advertising industry. Holiday spending in November and December is only expected to rise by 2.2 percent.
But Halloween's popularity makes sense to Heather Golin, especially now.
"It's the only time of the year people can escape reality and become anyone they want to be," says Golin, the director of corporate communications with Spirit Halloween.
The chain of stores, in their 25th year, are in 48 states and Canada. Golin won't comment on earnings or spending trends, but says there are 625 Spirit stores, and the decorating part of the business is big.
"Halloween's not just for kids anymore," she says. "It's become very much an adult holiday as well."
And along with dressing up and hitting parties, one way adults celebrate is spooking out their homes.
We're not talking smiley ghost decals on the windows anymore, though.
Swing by Mary Koor's O'Fallon home, and you'll have to pass at least two of the undead on the way to the front door.
"I just like to decorate," Koor says.
She also loves Halloween -- so much so that she had it written into her divorce decree that she got her son and daughter for the holiday.
For Koor, Halloween is about tradition and family, from memories of costumes her mom made, to traditions she's created with her own children, including dressing up together. Her son, now 12, doesn't do that anymore, though.
Last year he was a gangster.
Koor spent about $200 on Halloween decorations last year. Some of her tricks include a mummy woman on the front stoop and a man escaping from a homemade coffin in the lawn.
"This is the first year I haven't spent a lot," Koor says.
The National Retail Federation reports that consumers will spend an average of $18.25 on Halloween decorations per person and about $1.58 billion on decorations total.
Overall numbers look like those from 2002 when times were equally uncertain, says Kathy Grannis, spokesperson with the NRF.
And in some ways, she says, this year's outlook for Americans could be worse as stock portfolios and 401ks continue their descent.
Koor, a nurse, says she's feeling and seeing tough times in her workplace, as well. All that makes a little inexpensive decorating and fun all the more appealing. And, unlike Christmas, it's not as hard to spend on Halloween because purchases tend to be smaller.
Other than cheap candy, "it's not a gift-giving holiday," Grannis says.
Koor agrees. "It's definitely more fun than trying to buy presents."
People know Christmas will be tough, Koor says, but Halloween doesn't take a lot to make it fun. Not even expensive, automated lawn monsters. Last year, Koor's daughter, Samantha, 13, climbed into the plywood coffin and jumped out when other kids approached.
"It was funny cause all the kids were scared," Samantha says.
She and her mom haven't decided yet what they'll dress up as this year, but like her mom, Samantha loves Halloween.
"It's just really fun," Samantha says, "and you get to be someone else."
Playing dress up
According to the National Retail Federation, the top 10 expected costumes
KIDS
1. Princess
2. Witch
3. Hannah Montana
4. Spider-Man 3.
5. Pirate
6. Star Wars Character
7. Pumpkin
8. Batman
9. Disney Princess
10. Athlete
ADULTS
1. Witch
2. Pirate
3. Vampire
4. Cat
5. Fairy
5. Nurse
6. Batman
6. Political (Obama, McCain, etc.)
7. Ghost
8. Angel
9. Clown
9. Wench/Tart/Vixen
Kristen Hare is a freelance journalist.