Your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you; Halloween has been appearing in stores earlier and earlier each year.
Target (TGT) introduced its 2024 Halloween collection on September 5, while Home Depot (HD) rolled theirs out in mid-July.
Lowe’s (LOW) launched theirs even earlier, on June 1 — that's well before most farmers begin planting pumpkin seeds.
Why has Halloween become so popular?
Every day, there seems to be another reason to celebrate the undead. Netflix’s popular Goth series “Wednesday,” which spawned its own viral dance craze, was recently renewed for another season; pop icon Sabrina Carpenter offered her campy take on the slasher genre through her newest video, “Taste,” (co-starring “Wednesday’s” Jenna Ortega), and sequels of classic scary movies like “Beetlejuice” and “Hocus Pocus” are even filling seats in movie theaters again.
Related: Home Depot Halloween 2024: 12-foot skeletons, animatronics & more
According to the National Retail Federation, Halloween is now America’s second-most popular commercial holiday (only Christmas is bigger), with consumer spending topping $12 billion on Halloween candy, decorations, and costumes in 2023 alone. 73% of Americans celebrated the holiday last year, the highest level in 18 years.
This year, Big Box retailers, like Lowe’s, are after their own, king-sized piece of the action by offering creative Halloween merchandise that celebrates the season in both creepy — and cute — ways.
What are some of the most popular Halloween decorations?
Bony hands down, the biggest hit of the past couple Halloweens was a 12-foot skeleton named Skelly. Sold by Home Depot, its undead eyes lit up while it pointed menacingly at passersby.
Clocking in at $299, its price seemed frightful, but thanks to word of mouth spread socially on TikTok, Skelly sold out completely within 24 hours of its online release.
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What is Lowe’s 2024 Halloween collection?
Riding a wave of online interest in the chilly North Sea, Lowe’s ventured fathoms below for its latest Halloween collection, Haunted Harbor, dredging up a colorful array of deep-sea monsters, witches, and sea captains that can transform any backyard into Jacques Cousteau’s worst nightmare.
Talking LED Steering Captain Animatronic
Turns out, the tide never came in for this 6-foot haunted captain. Grasping the rotating helm of a phantom ship, its weathered eyes light up beneath a fisherman’s cap while welcoming lost souls aboard. Priced at $349, it’s currently available (online only).
LED Sea Diver Animatronic
A skeleton lurks inside the rusted helmet of this ghostly, 6-foot diver. Its face glows in eerie green tones while it clutches a seaweed-soaked harpoon, turning from side to side amidst the oozing sounds from ocean depths. Priced at $349, it’s currently available in stores and online.
LED Kraken
Old-school movie fans remember the beast from the 1981 film, “Clash of the Titans.” It’s what Lowe’s modeled its own deep-sea monster after. This one appears submerged with eyes aglow. Priced at $199, it’s currently sold out in stores and online, but customers can sign up to be notified when it’s back in stock.
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What other Halloween-themed yard decorations does Lowe’s have?
Back on land, Lowe’s offers a graveyard’s worth of tombstones, obelisks, and other spooky statues to commemorate the night, as well as more animatronics (because you can never have too many).
Skeleton Reaper
One of Lowe's largest animatronics is known as Colossal, a skeleton reaper. Measuring over 7 feet tall, it hunches, glowers, and recites a riddle while its eyes grow wide with LED rays. (If you own a fog machine; you can also configure green smoke to swirl out of his mouth.) Priced at $270.25, it’s currently available in stores and online.
Inverted Mummy
Another truly terrifying creature, Hanging Hank, comes wrapped in its own shroud —upside down. Its LED eyes glow red while its body shakes, moans, and groans. Priced at $39.98, it’s available in stores and online.
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What not-so-scary Halloween items does Lowe’s have?
After all, not everyone wants to lose sleep on Halloween.
LED Gargoyle Inflatable
Lowe’s partnered with Disney to create a line of "Haunted Mansion"-themed decorations that are perfect for kids of all ages, like this 5.5-foot grinning gargoyle. Best of all, it self-inflates in seconds. Priced at $99.98, it’s currently available in stores and online.
More on fall:
- Starbucks fall menu 2024: When it drops and what to order
- PSL nation: How Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes became a cultural icon
- Halloween Squishmallows: How these holiday collectibles are making Warren Buffett rich
LED Plush Corgi
Give this festive, 24-inch pup a treat. It wears a pumpkin pin as a collar and a witch’s hat on its head, and it comes with 35 incandescent lights that can be plugged indoors or out. Priced at $49.98, it’s currently sold out in stores and online, but customers can sign up to be notified when it’s back in stock.
LED Snoopy Inflatable
Someone tell Linus: Peanuts’ perennial favorite pooch has finally found the Great Pumpkin — and it really is big. This 8-foot inflatable jack-o-lantern comes with its own pump, making setup a cinch. Priced at $159, it’s available in stores and online.
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When do Lowe's Halloween items go on sale?
According to online sources, Lowe’s starts discounting Halloween items about a week before October 31, with markdowns up to 60% off — so if you can wait that long (and your items aren't already sold out), you may be able to snag some great deals.
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