Stockton-on-Tees will be pulling out all the stops for Halloween this year as shoppers are set to spend more than 950,000 hours preparing for their spooky celebrations*.
In a survey of 2,000 people by British Land, owners of Teesside, Stockton-on-Tees residents said they are planning to devote more than a working day (eight hours) on average to their ghoulish preparations, which will include choosing fancy dress, creating Halloween themed goodies and designing spooky decorations.
For many Stockton-on-Tees residents, a large amount of this time is likely to be spent turning their homes into a Halloween extravaganza, as almost two in five say they’re more likely to host a house party for Halloween than any other occasion throughout the year, including birthdays.
But whether Stockton-on-Tees locals are hosting or attending a party, it appears traditional Halloween activities remain popular favourites. Pumpkin carving (36%) and children dressing up in costumes (42%) both feature on the list of the top ways that residents will celebrate Halloween this year, along with creating spooky decorations (35%) and making Halloween-inspired food and drink (29%).
Mike Clarke, centre director at Teesside said: “Halloween has surged in popularity over the past few years with shoppers going all out to plan the perfect party or costume.
“Our research is evidence that people are investing a lot of time and effort into making sure their Halloween is a success and they feel a certain amount of pressure to make their celebrations spectacular. We’re expecting a busy period between now and the 31st as shoppers look for all of the weird and wonderful Halloween treats and essentials that our retailers have to offer.”