Participation in Halloween activities in the United States 2015-2024

Halloween is a widely celebrated tradition in the United States, with around 70 percent of Americans planning to participate in Halloween celebrations in 2024. In 2020, planned participation fell noticeably, likely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Halloween is celebrated in the United States in various ways, with trick-or-treating and pumpkin carving being two of the most popular Halloween activities. 

This is Halloween

Halloween is celebrated around the world on October 31. Given the spooky themes of the event, it is also a popular time of year for horror and slasher movies, with many movies of this genre released in time for the Halloween season. Many believe that the origins of Halloween date back to the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of summer and the harvest season as well as the beginning of winter. It is a time of year often associated with death, as some people believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead become blurred. They celebrated this night as they believed it would ensure people and their livestock would survive the harsh and cold winter.

Halloween in the United States

Halloween generates a substantial amount of money for the U.S. economy, as Americans spend significant sums over the Halloween season. In 2024, U.S. consumers planned to spend an overall total of more than 11.5 billion U.S. dollars on Halloween. The majority of consumers’ money goes towards the purchase of costumes, decorations, and candy.