Halloween spending second only to Christmas

 

What is it about Halloween that makes mothers show off Power Ranger moves and turns entire front yards into ghoulish graveyards?

What is it that has turned Halloween into the second biggest retail holiday of the year, behind only Christmas?

"Usually about at least $100 at a time," Halloween Express' Kim Johnson said of the amount her customers spend.

She works at one of the Halloween stores that seems to pop up at nearly every strip mall this time of year.

"The costumes were 80 bucks, and then candy, and decorations I probably spend $200," said mother of two, Niki Berghoff.

According to the National Retail Association, all of the trinkets, candy and costume sales could total $4 billion.

"Adults dressing up on Halloween has become so popular that even Playboy has gotten in on the action with one of their costumes costing anywhere from $100 to $170 and they're held to the rack by zip-ties to make sure nobody walks off with one."

So what is it about the ghosts and goblins that seem to open our wallets a little more than usual.

"It's the one time of the year you get to act crazy, nobody says anything about it and you can be the craziest you want," Johnson said.

Whether doing it to be crazy, or doing it for the kids.

"It's just kind of fun to go out, and hopefully it's nice weather, and walk from house to house and see our neighbors," Berghoff said.

A holiday that used to be the kickoff to the holiday season, has turned into money making season of its own.