Kids start seeing this on television, these Halloween-related things, and then they want them. It's not just costumes, and it's not just kids. And their parents are nearly as bad, shelling out for all manner of home decorations, not to mention costumes for themselves. At Capas, a theatrical supply store in Audubon, N.J., there are seven rooms of ghastly goods. Such props usually sell to the entrepreneurs of haunted houses or hayrides, but some people do buy them for personal use, says manager Joe Albert.
People spend more and more money.
I have no complaints at all. I'm sure you've seen the statistics. When it comes to getting just the right costume, he said, the holiday can be as stressful for grown-ups as it is for their offspring. Cantor has another way to combat Halloween stress. They take items from around the house, maybe buy a mask or a cape, and keep it on the low-budget side.