Halloween Fun is Big Business

Halloween isn’t for just kids anymore. In 2006 over 85 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds planned to celebrate the spooky holiday, along with 77 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds and 71 percent of 35 to 44-year-olds.

“Halloween has especially exploded among young adults who are celebrating with large parties and elaborate costumes, driving spending and bringing good news for retailers,” said Phil Rist, vice president of strategy for BIGresearch. “With the holiday falling on a Wednesday this year, young adults may begin participating in Halloween activities the weekend before and spend several days celebrating.”

Halloween is in fact a big business, raking in an estimated 5 billion in related sales for retailers.

Got a spooky or silly business idea that could be next years big trick or treat?

Frankly, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays of the year because you are free to act silly, pretend to be anyone you want to be and of course there is the excuse to buy and eat endless amounts of candy. No wonder kids and adults like it~

This past Sunday afternoon I was on my way to a rehearsal. I decided to return a quick call to a client. Saturday night a friend of mine had a costume party. In my car were remnants of one of the costumes. My husband, Chuck, had this hysterical out-of-the-box costume that was a white toilet. With it he bought various fake items one might find in the toilet, as well as the funniest little gadget I have ever heard in my life- a fart machine.

Needless to say, for some unknown reason, every time I hit a bump in the car, the machine emitted a rather loud and boisterous sound, when I was on the phone with my client. It was not long before I HAD to explain the sounds because I could barely contain my own laughter. ( Once I told my client he could not stop laughing either..)

While the combined cost of our costumes was $200.12, it was the $16.95 item, the fart machine, that kept our friends entertained for hours…