• A Detroit Lions superfan and the ‘Queen of Halloween’ are among Michiganders going big for the holiday season
• Americans are expected to spend a record $13.1 billion on Halloween this year
• Michigan retailers say shoppers are embracing ‘spooky season’ earlier than ever, prioritizing decor

Jeanne Clinton doesn’t wait for October to begin decorating her house with ghosts, cobwebs and skeletons. She starts pulling out her Halloween decorations in September and adds to them weekly.

The 40-year-old Monroe resident is known as the “Queen of Halloween” in her neighborhood, a title she wears proudly year-round.

“People will see me in Meijer and ask, ‘Where are your Halloween decorations this year?’ or ‘why haven’t you decorated yet?’” she said. “I’ve had people come out from Dearborn to see my house … during the Halloween season.”

Her devotion mirrors a national trend. Americans are expected to spend more than $13 billion on Halloween this year, making it the second-largest commercial holiday after Christmas.

“My Halloween is everybody’s Christmas,” Clinton told Bridge Michigan. “My garage is full of Halloween decorations that still need to be put out on display.”

The National Retail Federation’s annual consumer survey suggests Americans will spend $13.1 billion on Halloween this year, an increase of $2 billion from 2024 and enough to surpass the $12.2 billion record set in 2023.

Halloween sales have grown steadily since 2020 except in 2024 when sales dipped to about $11.6 billion, likely due to inflation and higher candy prices.

This year, 78% of shoppers plan to buy Halloween decorations, up from 75% last year, according to the survey. It’s estimated that each consumer will spend roughly $114.45 in total.

“Not only are consumers spending more on Halloween, but more people are buying some of the holiday’s key categories,” Katherine Cullen, vice president of industry and consumer insights, said in a recent Q&A video.

“Hanging decorations such as lights and cobwebs are the most popular, followed by fall-inspired pumpkins and gourds.”

Taking it to the grave

This year, 52-year-old Chad Lotta of St. Clair Shores took that Halloween enthusiasm to new lengths.

He spent several weeks sketching and painting Detroit Lions-themed decorations, including a Zombie-like Dan Campbell, and then another four hours spray painting his lawn into a miniature football field.

The result: A football graveyard next to his house. After every Lions win, he adds a tombstone with the losing team’s name and score.

“We’re massive Lions fans and we really can’t afford to go to games anymore, so we decided to bring the game to our neighborhood,” Lotta told Bridge.

“Every year, we just try to do something fun and different for the neighborhood. And now every year they’re expecting something bigger and bigger.”

An extended ‘spooky season’

Lotta prefers Halloween decorations over Christmas and revels in the increasingly “massive” sections in stores filled with “all the new animatronics.”

“Halloween is my thing and it’s always been like that for my house.”

He’s not alone.

In Monroe, Clinton keeps her Halloween spirit alive late into the year, even when most families on her block have traded pumpkins for Santa Claus. She blends the holidays with touches inspired by the movie, “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

“I would like to keep the tradition going, especially for my kid and for the neighborhood children as well,” she said. “If I take away my Halloween decorations, I’m not known as the ‘Queen of Halloween’ anymore. I’m just Jeanne.”

Experts say elaborate displays like Lotta’s and Clinton’s highlight how Halloween has evolved from a holiday to a season.

Between scary movies and seasonal decor, “spooky season” is definitely growing, said Victoria Veda, vice president of communications at the Michigan Retailers Association.

Not only are consumers buying more Halloween decorations, but they’re buying them earlier in the year, in anticipation of the holiday.

“Folks may be on a budget, but they still are determined to celebrate,” Veda said.

Business Watch