{
  "id": 5743032,
  "title": "Halloween Is Coming Early and Bringing AI With It",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/halloween-is-coming-early-and-bringing-ai-with-it",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-05T08:00:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PYMNTS",
    "slug": "pymnts",
    "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/news/retail/2026/halloween-is-coming-early-bringing-ai/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Labor Day has traditionally signaled the start of cooler weather and pumpkin spice season. However, in 2025, retailers are pushing Halloween shopping much earlier. The National Retail Federation predicts Halloween sales will hit a record $13.1 billion this year, with consumers spending $4.3 billion on costumes, $4.2 billion on decorations, and $3.9 billion on candy. As of early August, 25% of shoppers have already bought at least one Halloween item, with adult costumes and candy being the most popular purchases so far.\n\nRetailers are embracing a new concept called \"seasonal creep,\" where Halloween is no longer limited to a single night but has expanded into an entire quarter. Michaels, for example, has introduced a large \"Hobbyween\" crafting collection featuring embroidery, needlepoint, paint-by-number kits, and mystery craft boxes. This gives consumers an opportunity to make their own Halloween decorations, combining technology with analog crafts.\n\nCostumes are also evolving, with a trend toward pop culture mash-ups. Greek mythology, superheroes, K-pop, and animation are all gaining traction for Halloween character inspiration. Coca-Cola has teamed up with an AI entertainment studio to create Fanta's Haunted Universe, featuring four original monsters and limited-edition cans. Home Depot and Lowe's have also joined the Halloween fun with robotic skeletons that can speak, move, and scan neighborhoods.\n\nFor those seeking a darker Halloween experience, travel options abound. Bran Castle in Romania offers a haunted castle tour and royal park party, while Salem, Massachusetts, features a month-long line-up of tours, psychic fairs, and haunted museums. The city has even added a new haunted museum featuring artifacts from paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Meanwhile, G Adventures offers a seven-day Day of the Dead trip in Oaxaca, Mexico, including cemetery vigils, a procession, altar preparation, and culinary experiences.",
  "summary": "Labor Day traditionally tells Northeasterners to locate a sweater, inspect the foliage and pretend the beach chairs will be stored before Thanksgiving. This year, retailers have added another instruction. Begin thinking about Halloween immediately. The pumpkins have arrived, the skeletons have achieved architectural scale and artificial intelligence has begun creating monsters. Apparently, even…",
  "key_points": [
    "Halloween sales projected to reach $13.1 billion in 2025",
    "25% of shoppers have already purchased Halloween items by early August",
    "AI-enhanced haunted universe and robotic skeletons debut for Halloween"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}