Halloween is now one of America’s most popular holidays, with spending on the spooky celebration reaching $7.4 billion in 2014 – with $2.8 billion spent on costumes alone.
Those numbers, from the National Retail Federation, show adults actually spend more on their own costumes than they do on those for the kids ($1.4 billion vs. $1.1 billion). Even pets get in the act, with $350 million spent putting our four-legged friends into costume,
All these numbers show what we already know – Halloween is big. And with the rising popularity of the holiday, an increasing number of people are interested in throwing Halloween parties.
Fortunately there are more choices than ever for party rentals and plenty of ways to trim costs. First, a look at some rental options.
Some Halloween Party Ideas
You have more choices than ever when planning a Halloween party, thanks to so many party rental stores and thematic possibilities. Here are a few ideas.
Thematic Bounce Houses. If your Halloween party is for kids, this can be just the right thing. Bounce houses come in many, many different shapes and sizes. Here are some ideas culled from the site of FunCrew USA, which specializes in party rentals.
Many of them tap into common Halloween costumes such as superheroes, pirates and princesses.
- Justice League. With the “Batman vs. Superman” movie just around the corner, there’s probably a kid or two in your circle who is a big fan. This bounce house covers all the DC superhero bases, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and The Flash.
- Disney Princesses. The World of Disney and Disney Princesses feature many of the characters from the Disney films and are shaped, of course, like a castle!
- Pirate Ship. The appeal is obvious, as is the appeal of the Pirate Combo, which includes both a slide and basketball hoop.
Extreme Attractions. Want to make Halloween a little more thrilling for the adults? Think about renting an extreme attraction. Excellent choices include the mobile stunt jump (in which users fall 20 feet onto a cushioned landing pad) or the mobile zip line (in which users start from a platform three stories high before gliding to the ground).
Halloween Money-Saving Tips
Here are some ideas to save yourself costs during Halloween.
Buy candy in advance and in bulk. Most of the big warehouse stores offer you the chance to buy huge bags of candy at discount prices, saving you the hassle of having to run to the store at the last minute and get candy at a premium price.
Look online for decorations. Many online retailers offer discounts on Halloween decorations, particularly if you commit to buying in bulk and buying in advance.
Get arts and crafts at discount stores. If you are having to do arts and crafts for the kids, it’s best to go to a discount store where you’ll find better prices and can also get materials that can be used for other holiday decorations down the road.
Make your own Halloween costumes. This is the classic money-saving idea for Halloween, of course. With enough forethought and planning, it’s not that difficult. There are many, many videos online showing how to make various costumes, and sometimes making your costume turns out much better than what you could buy, anyway.
Get creative with spooky food. There are many ways to make a menu worthy of the holiday without terrifying you with the costs. One idea is Mummy Dogs – simply wrap up hot dog in strips of crescent roll dough and bake. Another weird trick suitable for Halloween? Freeze green grapes and then use them as “ice” in people’s drinks. They’ll look a bit like floating eyeballs. That’s a good thing.
Whatever kind of party you throw, make sure to check out all the options available and keep in mind that a rental can make the party much more memorable for everyone involved.
