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Start with the Halloween merchandise categories that fit your plans: costumes and accessories, decorations, candy and party supplies, and pumpkin items. The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that 74% of consumers plan to celebrate Halloween in 2026; those are survey plans, not confirmed purchases. Its survey of 7,889 consumers also found that 49% began shopping in September or earlier, while one-quarter had already bought Halloween items by early August. If you are shopping now, focus on intended use, fit, visibility, safe lighting, and how easily items can be stored—not on unverified product rankings.

Why Halloween shopping starts early

Halloween merchandise now enters shoppers’ plans well before October. In its September 1, 2026 article, the NRF asked why Halloween seems to arrive earlier and reported that one-quarter of consumers had purchased Halloween items by early August. Decorations, costumes, candy, and greeting cards were among the examples. NRF’s 2026 consumer survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, expects $13.5 billion in Halloween spending; this is a forecast based on survey responses, not completed sales.

Use the season’s early start to decide what you actually need and how you will use it. NRF says 50% of consumers plan to wear a costume, 42% plan to decorate a home or yard, 42% plan to carve pumpkins, and 96% plan to buy sweets. These are reported plans, not guarantees about what any particular shopper will buy or what retailers have in stock. The survey and its figures are available from the NRF Halloween Headquarters.

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Costumes and accessories: prioritize fit and visibility

Choose a costume for its intended setting—trick-or-treating, a party, or an indoor gathering—and check that it fits securely without dragging on the ground. For evening use, prefer bright or otherwise visible clothing. Reflective tape and a flashlight can help make a wearer easier for motorists to see in dusk and darkness.

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Halloween Decorations, 3inx90ft Caution Tape for Indoor and Outdoor(3 Pcs)
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  • 👻 HALLOWEEN PARTY ESSENTIAL 👻: Perfect for Halloween outdoor decorations, Halloween parties, vampire and fright night parties, haunted houses, and spooky themes. This Halloween tape is a must-have for a successful Halloween party.
  • Check the label: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) advises looking for flame-resistant labeling on costumes, masks, beards, and wigs. That label does not mean an item cannot catch fire; it means it should resist burning and extinguish quickly after removal from an ignition source. Avoid flimsy, loose, billowing designs near ignition sources.
  • Check masks before wearing: A mask should fit securely, allow adequate ventilation, and provide full vision. A mask that slips, blocks sight, or makes breathing difficult is not a suitable choice.
  • Choose safe accessories: Costume weapons and similar props should be made from soft, flexible material rather than hard or sharp material.
  • Think about the wearer: A long costume or obstructive accessory may be impractical for walking outdoors, while a more elaborate look may suit a supervised indoor party. Match the design to the person wearing it and the conditions where it will be used.

These selection points follow the CPSC’s Publication 100, Halloween Safety; they do not establish that a particular costume or accessory performs better than another.

Halloween decorations: match the display to its location

Before choosing decorations, decide whether they will be displayed indoors, outdoors, or in a place children can reach. Consider the available space, the scale of the display, its power source, and whether you will have somewhere to store it after Halloween. A product’s intended use should match its placement; the category alone does not establish weather resistance or suitability for a specific location.

Rank #2
Fecedy Black Orange Happy Halloween Trick or Treat Banner Paper Fan Balloons & Swirl Streamers Goul Bat Cat Bird Ghost Pumpkin Lantern for Halloween Decorations
  • Material:Eco-friendly paper orange black fish tail Halloween banner and Pumpkin lantern Banner bunting,hanging honeycomb paper fan and PVC swirl streamers. Latex Balloons,you can reuse it !
  • Size:Each Halloween paper fan is 8"; PVC metallic swirls is 31";paper Pumpkin lantern Banner is 147.5"; fish tail Halloween banner card is 6"x4.8" .balloon is 12",they are so easy to hang,perfect for your halloween party decoration.
  • Packaging set : 4pcs Halloween paper fan;10pcs pvc swirls;1pcs paper Pumpkin lantern Garland banner;1pcs TRICK OR TREAT ;1pcs happy halloween banner.30pcs balloons, A big set perfect for your Halloween theme party decoration.
  • Design:Orange,black, design element is HAPPY halloween pumpkin,goul,bat, cat,bird, ghost,etc...Very cool and Perfect for adding to your party atmosphere.You can take a lot of beautiful pictures with these cute and cool banners decorations.
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  • For reachable pumpkins and displays: Use battery-operated lights or glow sticks where children can reach them. Keep burning candles away from combustible decorations, and never leave candles unattended.
  • For electric light strands: Look for products tested by a recognized testing laboratory. Inspect strands before use, discard any that are damaged, and do not overload extension cords.
  • For outdoor setups: Check the item’s stated indoor or outdoor use before placing it outside. Consider how its power source and storage needs fit your display plan rather than assuming every decoration can be used outdoors.

The CPSC’s guidance offers safety checks, not product-by-product performance comparisons. Its historical estimate—3,200 Halloween-related injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments per year on average over the three years preceding the agency’s 2022 release—was not a 2026 count. The CPSC attributed 55% of those injuries to pumpkin carving, 25% to falls, and 20% to lacerations, ingestions, allergic reactions, rashes, and other costume-, pumpkin-, or decoration-related injuries. See the agency’s 2022 Halloween safety release for the estimate and advice.

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Candy and party supplies: plan for guests and children

NRF says 96% of consumers plan to buy sweets for Halloween in 2026, accounting for $4.1 billion in expected spending. Both figures describe consumer plans and expected spending, not completed purchases. Candy can serve trick-or-treaters or a party; choose quantities and types with the event and guests in mind, rather than treating the survey figure as a shopping list.

Rank #3
6 Pack Black Halloween Creepy Cloth, 30 x 72 Inch - Yobbai
  • Perfect Halloween Decoration: Ideal for Halloween decorations, offering a frightening fabric ornament that's perfect for creating a spooky haunted house atmosphere.
  • Quality Materials: Constructed from soft, high-quality cotton, the spooky cloth is easy to hang and shape. It can be cut as needed and is durable for long-lasting use.
  • Horror Scene Fabric: This creepy cloth, haunting cheesecloth is perfect for Halloween decorations. It can be freely cut and ripped, making it easy to create the perfect haunted house effect when hung from windows, curtains, and ceilings.
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  • Wide Applications: This material can be used alongside spider webs, crawling spiders, and other Halloween yard decorations to add a terrifying touch to your Halloween party.

An adult should inspect treats before children eat them. If party favors or candy assortments include toys or novelty items for children under three, check them for small parts and choking hazards. This check matters even when the item is sold as a seasonal extra rather than as a toy.

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Pumpkins: choose the activity before the supplies

NRF reports that 42% of consumers plan to carve pumpkins in 2026. If carving is part of your celebration, plan for adult supervision and care: pumpkin carving accounted for the largest share of Halloween-related injuries in the CPSC’s historical estimate. The available CPSC guidance supports caution and adult-led carving; it does not identify a preferred carving tool or brand.

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SHYMERY Flameless Votive Candles,Flameless Flickering Electric Fake Candle,24 Pack 200+Hour Battery Operated LED Tea Lights in Warm White for Wedding, Table, Halloween,Christmas Decorations 1.5"X1.7"
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If a pumpkin will be displayed where children can reach it, use a battery-operated light or glow stick instead of an open flame. Keep burning candles away from combustible decorations and do not leave them unattended.

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A practical shopping checklist

  • Decide whether each item is for a costume, home or yard display, party, or pumpkin activity.
  • For costumes, check fit, visibility, flame-resistant labeling, mask vision and ventilation, and the flexibility of costume props.
  • For decorations, confirm intended indoor or outdoor use, power source, placement, and storage needs.
  • For lights, check for recognized testing-laboratory certification, inspect for damage, and avoid overloading extension cords.
  • For children, inspect treats and check novelty items for small parts when the recipient is under three.
  • For pumpkins, keep carving adult-led and choose safe lighting for displays within children’s reach.

This is a category guide, not a tested product roundup: no specific products, prices, current inventory, or comparative performance are established here. Compare individual listings against the relevant fit, use, labeling, power, and storage criteria before buying.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.