Monster aficionado Mike Drake explains the changing landscape of Halloween decorations to Pop Bites
(Isstories Editorial):- New York City, New York, August 28, 2024 (Issuewire.com) – Halloween decorations have evolved dramatically in recent years, with outdoor decorations reaching new heights in both size and sophistication. What was once a holiday associated primarily with children and trick-or-treating has transformed into a multi-billion dollar industry that attracts adults looking to celebrate with elaborate decorations.
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Peter Fader, a marketing professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, recently told NPR that Halloween is no longer just for kids. “It’s becoming increasingly popular among adults, and that enthusiasm has only increased following the COVID lockdowns,” Fader said. The National Retail Federation reported that U.S. consumers spent a record $12.2 billion on Halloween items in 2023, a significant increase from the $8 billion spent in 2020, the height of the pandemic.
Mike Drake, author, oddity collector and monster enthusiast, attributes this trend to a generation of kids growing up and finally being able to live out their childhood Halloween dreams. “Many of us grew up wanting our parents to put up elaborate decorations,” Drake told Pop Bites. “Now that we’re adults and have homes and families of our own, nothing’s stopping us. As a little 7-year-old, I would have traded at least one of my siblings for a life-sized animatronic Frankenstein. The fact that I can walk into Home Depot and buy one, along with a 12-foot-tall skeleton, is literally a dream come true.”
Drake credits Home Depot’s 12-foot-long skeleton as a key moment in the history of Halloween decorating. “Suddenly you knew who was really serious about Halloween,” Drake said, noting that the skeleton’s initial shortages made it a coveted item. The skeleton has become a popular lawn centerpiece and even adorns Kourtney Kardashian Barker’s yard, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Author Jenny Lawson (aka The Bloggess) wrote extensively about her skeleton, which she named Bone Crawford.
The 12-foot-tall skeleton is also a staple of Burbank’s “Horror Row,” a neighborhood known for its residents who work as professional film and television decorators. Drake believes Home Depot’s Lance Allen has not only hit the jackpot, but has revolutionized Halloween decorating.
Drake notes that before the late 1980s, Halloween decorations were much simpler, typically consisting of ceramic jack-o-lanterns, cardboard cut-out ghosts, and lighted blow molds. In 1986, however, Telco Creations revolutionized Halloween decorations with the introduction of Halloween Motion-ettes—24-inch tabletop figures with moving heads and arms, lighted and electrically operated, reminiscent of motorized Christmas window displays.
In 1993, Gemmy Industries expanded the Halloween decoration market by designing exclusive items for Spirit Halloween, starting with the life-sized animated witch. Since then, Halloween decorations have become increasingly larger and more complex, with many rivaling theme park attractions.
“This is the fun we’ve all been hoping for so many Halloweens ago,” Drake said, reflecting on the transformation of Halloween decorations from humble displays to the grand, immersive experiences we see today.
