SASKATOON – On Halloween, the paranormal comes to life and people seek the thrill of a good scare.
Every year, people shell out hundreds of dollars for the chance to have a good scream. As it turns out, big scares are also big business.
Across Saskatchewan and Manitoba, new research shows people spend an average of more than $50 on costumes, more than $80 on decorations and nearly $40 on candy, totaling $170 per person.
But for some, it gets much more expensive than that. Just ask Dawn Raisce. She runs Halloween Alley in Saskatoon. While it’s still possible to dress up for a few dollars, she’s gradually seen an increase in the amount people are willing to pay.
“I’ve had people spend over a $1000 on one costume,” said Raisce.
It’s a high price of admission for an event that some say has turned into a consumerist paradise.
“I think it’s just a frenzied carnival of consumption which falls between back-to-school and Christmas,” said University of Saskatchewan marketing professor, David Williams.
“They’re shoving it on consumers. It’s not just shovibgm it’s being rammed down the throats of consumers,” he said. “Consumers are eager to accept it too; it’s not like it’s an unwelcome push.”
U of S history professor Frank Klaassen said our desire to take part in Halloween, even at a cost, could be a symptom of human nature.
There was a time when people believed the dead would walk the earth, but in an age where fewer people follow superstition, Halloween has turned into a type of entertainment.
“My guess is that one of these days, we’re going to see a study from some scientist saying this is just part of healthy brain chemistry, for at least some portion of the population, they need to be scared,” he said.
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