Halloween was simple last year for Alejandra Sanchez.
The 28-year-old Omaha resident dressed as Olive Oyl and her husband, Edgar, dressed as Popeye. They each spent about $50 on their costumes at a local retailer and hit the town to attend several costume parties.
This year, Sanchez said, she's "going all out."
For her birthday, just a week and half before Halloween, she's throwing a "heroes vs. villains" costume party. She's going as Poison Ivy, an enemy of Batman's. But rather than purchase the "cheesy" costume she saw online, she's having her mother custom-make her one.
For the wig, costume materials and accessories, Sanchez has dished out about $125.
"It's going to be awesome, though," she said. "It's pretty detailed."
She's also spending $300 more for the DJ and cake for her costume party. "It's for my birthday, too, so I don't mind spending a little bit more."
Sanchez isn't alone.
More Americans are planning to celebrate Halloween this year, according to the National Retail Federation. Nearly 70 percent of Americans will celebrate the holiday of dressing up and trick-or-treating, up from about 64 percent last year and the most in a decade, according to a survey by BIGresearch for the retail trade group.
That translates to an estimated 432,000 adults in the eight-county Omaha-metro area.
Nationally, spending is projected to be up, too, with the average person buying $72.31 worth of decorations, costumes and candy, up from $66.28 last year. In the Omaha area, about more than 75 percent of residents are expected to hand out candy and spend a total of nearly $13 million on treats for the little ghouls and goblins. In all, Omaha-area spending is projected to be more than $40 million this Halloween. That figure includes money spent on costumes, candy, decorations, greeting cards, parties and haunted houses.
Total Halloween spending is expected to reach $6.86 billion nationally, compared with the $5.8 billion predicted for last year.
"We've already noticed that people are going for higher-priced items this year," said Dwayne Ibsen, president of Ibsen Costume Gallery at 50th and Hamilton Streets. "In the last two or three years, it was just pieces of things. I think people feel more secure with the economy this year."
Sanchez certainly does. She'll dress as Poison Ivy for her costume party and go as Lady Gaga for the other costume parties she's invited to. She shelled out $95 for her second costume and its accessories at a local retailer.
"I love the fact that I can dress up and be another person for a day," she said. "This is one of my favorite times of the year."
Ibsen said people tend to follow the movies when picking Halloween costumes.
"So far this year we have had lots of interest in Harry Potter and 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' " he said.
Ibsen also tries to keep "Star Wars" and "Wizard of Oz" costumes in stock because they are so popular.
At Nobbies, " 'Angry Birds' costumes are flying off the shelves big time," said Chris Krohn, marketing coordinator for the store. " 'The Smurfs' are also new and popular."
But not all consumers will spend their money at costume stores and big-box retailers.
"For Goodwill, the biggest time of the year is Halloween," said Randy Parks, chief operating officer for Goodwill Omaha. "People want to have unique costumes, and chances of running into the same costume are virtually none."
"You can put together a really neat costume for $15 versus $100," he said. "It's kind of neat to see groups of young individuals come in together and try to put costumes together. It's fun to watch."
Parks said he thinks people are willing to spend more this year because they are looking for excitement.
"People are looking for an outlet without all the worrying and weary of the economy," he said. "We all want a little fun in our lives."
Contact the writer:
402-444-1336, leia.mendoza@owh.com
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