How much do you spend on Halloween for the kids?

[Viv0321]

How much do you spend on Halloween for the kids?

I’ve managed to get away with homemade costumes or ones they have already, and GPs buy them a pumpkin each for carving so just a bag of sweets.

Nothing.

We buy three pumpkins. That’s it.

I think I've spent about £10 on some little Halloween novelties and sweets. We'll be doing a Halloween treasure hunt at home this year rather than trick or treating. I want to still make it a bit of fun for the kids.

Normally about £20 that includes a costume and sweets. This year I haven't bought a costume as we won't be trick or treating. Dh normally takes ds pumpkin picking, I think he only pays for the pumpkins that he wants though. This year I've spent about £20 on craft activities and baking supplies for Halloween instead so the same as I normally would. I did once have a Halloween party and that cost me about £300 (mostly alcohol) but it's not something I would do anytime soon.

I've bought two packs of sweets and two pumpkins.

About £10 on sweets/Halloween snacks for a Halloween movie night for us and some of the sweets for my nephews and nieces since we can’t do trick or treating (tier 3).

Probably about another £10-£15 to visit the pumpkin patch.

Usually a couple of costumes, 3 or 4 pumpkins and some sweeties to give out so maybe £20-30. This year we have to isolate during the half term so I'm going to do some Halloween activities inside and throw a little party for us so will be pricier then usual.
We love Halloween.

If we're home (we're often away at ILs) a tub of sweets as school/ brownies know where we are.

A pumpkin

A haloween theme top for DS2, which he likes to wear long term regardless of season for accouple of years.

DS1 hates Halloween.

£0

I’ve spent about £50 this year on Halloween crafts and decorations, plus I’ve made a costume for pre-school Halloween celebrations. Planning to have a family ‘party day’ to distract DS from not being able to trick or treat when he’s desperate to. All of the stuff can be re-used so I don’t feel too guilty. Costume is made from trousers and hoody, so can easily be made ‘normal’ again and re-worn.

... normally I’ll spend about £10.

We get a pumpkin to carve and I buy him an outfit for nursery. That's it's really. Usually would get some sweets for any trick or treaters but not this year so around £15?

Thanks everyone. There’s so many homes around here that look as though they’ve spent a fortune! Look good though.

Nothing. It's a pointless American celebration that's only around to make money for shops.

Halloween is celtic. Halloween is celtic. Halloween is celtic. HALLOWEEN IS CELTIC!! It started early this year but just putting this all in here instead of the million other threads someone will say this on over the next two weeks.

Although I do agree of course you don’t need to spend a lot of money on plastic tat. Same as at Christmas, it is obviously wildly over commercialised. But you don’t see people saying we should cancel Christmas the American holiday. It’s up to you what way you want to do it. I understand if you weren’t brought up celebrating Halloween then you might not fancy doing so but please stop calling it an American celebration before all the Celts on Mumsnet combust.

A bit, I've bought some more decorations and some lights (which will add to the ones we have already and will be reused). Ds has got a tracksuit with a spooky theme, he'll wear that till he grows out of it. And we'll get a couple of pumpkins and some sweets for put pumpkin hunt.

I've never been arsed about it, we never did Halloween when I was little. But DH enjoys it and DS appears to actively love it! And everything is shit at the minute, so if I can spend £40 and inject a bit of fun into our week then I will.

@crossstitchingnana

Good grief! How they get cash from our pockets and more shit into landfill. My kids are adults and I used to buy sweets for the tricksters at our door and a pumpkin.

Sadly I agree with this. I love Halloween, always have, bought (invested - they were a fortune!) some 'tasteful' decorations and they're brought out every year. They'll be split between the kids when I'm gone and I don't' think they'll be going into a landfill anytime soon as they're quite valuable now.

I'm in a strange juxtaposition of feeling joy when I see the supermarkets engaging in this 'holiday' and dread when I see the poor quality 'tat' that will end up in the landfill. Much of it is electronic so I will definitely see it across the country, anytime from 31st October. So many people chuck it out and that's disgraceful.

Less than a tenner all in for both kids

Nothing usually. I did see a second hand book character costume from eBay that I've picked up for DD though, as she can use that on other occasions too. And we're going pumpkin picking. Will make a pumpkin pie and probably buy a bag of sweets in case of trick or treaters before promptly scoffing the lot when none show up.

Its really variable - we have home made costumes which work out dearer but much less wasteful as its all either made from recycled items or stuff we will wear again in other contexts. We have a big box of deccies which we bring down from the loft every year- occasionally buy something new. However this year I've spent a fortune on extra stuff to make it special while we cant go out - hired themed teepees for all the kids to have a sleepover downstairs on Halloween night, treat boxes being delivered and spooky cupcakes another day; a huge pinata and millions of sweets, more costumes than usual - a family set and their own individual choices, and extra decorations so I can make the whole playroom into a haunted house this year.

Nothing. It's a pointless American celebration that's only around to make money for shops.

Well it's not pointless if you enjoy it, is it? What point do you expect festivals to have? Besides, as is clear from this thread, many people spend almost nothing on it. And as for it being American - a) what's wrong with something being American and b) no it isn't.

Perhaps a couple of quid on a pumpkin. Apart from that - nada.

As little as possible....£0-£5 Max.
I hate it!!

£0.00 these days. Used to get them a supermarket costume each when they were little.

Now I’m only left with one little enough to care £20. More like £50 when I had 3 to sort out.