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Jay L. Zagorsky, Associate Professor of Markets, Public Policy and Law, Boston University

Why is Halloween spending growing when Americans are supposedly cutting back?

Of course you can buy an evil clown at Home Depot. Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

Halloween was once a time of both tricks and treats. Lately, Halloween has become one big treat for businesses, with consumers spending an estimated US$11.6 billion on this one-night holiday. That’s roughly the same amount of money as Americans spend on children’s books each year.

This massive amount of spending is puzzling, given the media is filled with stories about the economic hardships many families face.

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