Franky the Skeleton remains on prominent display year-round at twenty-three-year-old Madison Lagmiri’s home.
In summer, Franky wears a bathing suit. In winter, a Santa hat. As Halloween approaches, he sports pink sunglasses and clutches a crushed Michelob Light in his bony left hand.
UF master’s student Lagmiri said she and her roommates take Halloween more seriously than their neighbors. Their house is among the few on Northwest Seventh Avenue with a spookily decorated exterior. Prices as sticky as post-Halloween-party floorboards may be to blame.
Last year, U.S. consumers spent a record-breaking $12.2 billion on Halloween costumes, candy and decorations. With Oct. 31 drawing near, budget-conscious Gainesville residents appear reluctant to splurge.
UF biochemistry junior Keyla Rodriguez said she hasn't thought much about Halloween and has no concrete plans for celebrating.
Rodriguez said her family has never spent heartily on holidays, and she carried their example with her to college. While inflation isn’t driving her conservative Halloween budgeting, Rodriguez said she predicts price hikes on necessities will broadly put a chill on seasonal shopping.
“I feel like the economy is not in a great place at the moment, and a lot of people are going to be cutting down those [expenses],” she said.
In 2023, one in four people 18 to 27 spent between $100 and $250 on Halloween. Forecasters predict most (74%) will cut back this year.
Gina Doherty, 19, said the holiday has barely been on her radar. The UF political science sophomore doesn’t think she will go all-out preparing.
Unlike her friends, who are splurging on expensive store-bought options, Doherty said she’s likely to deploy her craftiness instead.
“I’ll do it myself before I’ll spend so much money,” she said.
Statisticians project U.S. consumers will spend nearly $4 billion on 2024’s Halloween costumes.
Ameerah Balogun, a 20-year-old UF biology junior, said she plans to dodge Halloween expenses by hosting a cozy movie night with friends.
Balogun said she’ll assemble a makeshift costume from her existing clothes when she wants to go out.
“One time, for a social, I dressed up as Jake from State Farm because I had khakis and a red shirt, and I made a little fake logo,” she said.
Other consumers hoping to save on costumes may turn to consignment shops.
Flashbacks Recycled Fashions on NW Eighth Avenue offers discounted clothes and accessories to fit the occasion. Owner Steve Nichtberger said his sales are 10% to 15% higher in October than in September and November, as the store attracts a college crowd hungry for last-minute Halloween deals.
“Having had 38 Halloweens under my belt, I will tell you that the last few days, people are flipping out, putting together anything,” he said. “The costumes are generally sold out.”
Nichtberger said he doesn’t think inflation, which cooled to 2.4% in September, has affected Flashbacks’ seasonal sales. No matter how price-burdened people feel, he believes his customer base will reliably pony up the cash for a cute outfit and a good time.
“I think this crowd will use any ‘Give me an excuse to party, I’m there’ kind of attitude,” he said.
Faith Heaton, 19, is part of that group. The UF mechanical engineering sophomore said she happily embraces the Halloween craze without worrying about breaking the bank. She said her parents cover most of her costs, including her Universal Halloween Horror Nights pass.
Marin Chester, a 20-year-old UF wildlife ecology and conservation junior, is also a self-proclaimed Halloween enthusiast. Chester said she’s already spent $200 on the forthcoming festivities.
Chester, decked out in an orange jack-o-lantern shirt and candy corn earrings, said she wanted to celebrate moving into a new apartment by blanketing it with fall-themed decorations.
“Last year, I was really busy,” Chester said. “I was taking 18 credits, so I didn't have as much time to prepare for the holiday season.”
While Chester indicated rising costs don’t scare her, she thinks a collective retreat from extravagant holiday consumption is an unfortunate economic inevitability.
“Maybe people just don’t want to spend money on the candy and the costumes as much anymore,” Chester said. “That’s kinda sad.”
Contact Natalie Kaufman at nkaufman@alligator.org. Follow her on X @Nat_Kauf.
Natalie Kaufman is a sophomore journalism student and the Alligator's Fall 2024 Metro General Assignment reporter. In her free time, she likes drinking copious amounts of caffeine and running.
