It’s time for Halloween at Homegoods. Photo courtesy of Pinterest. 

  Students at San Luis Obispo High School may have noticed an arrangement of faux spiderwebs and glass pumpkins filling retail stores around town. As October approaches, orange and purple commercial items hit the shelves and students are forced to observe the horrid concoction of a Halloween soup created by businesses everywhere.

  Are these skeletons being taken out of the closet too soon or are they something to look forward to as Halloween strives to mark the beginning of the holiday season?

  “[Homegoods] started prepping at the end of June. I was happy, I love Halloween, but I’m getting tired of it now,” said Homegoods employee and senior Juliana Vigil.

  The autumn equinox which sets the true beginning of the fall season isn’t until September 23, so it makes no sense for companies to start producing pumpkin-themed items as soon as a leaf falls in the summer. Except it makes total sense, as the beckoning finger of limited time items promotes consumerism among businesses. 

  “It’s not too soon for Halloween since pumpkin spice just came back to Starbucks, and that’s when fall starts,” said senior Kaylee Edwards. 

  Companies which showcase a seasonal product see an increase in revenue as customers flock to try signature staples of the autumn season. Starbucks’ fall menu is an example of this, with the infamous pumpkin spice latte bringing in a 12 percent increase week-over-week increase in sales in 2022. Other businesses which profit solely from the Halloween related products, like Spirit Halloween, are examples of how much Americans consume during holiday related seasons. Spirit Halloween has an annual revenue of over one billion since 2022, while only being open for a minimal amount of months. 

  “My job has a seasonal cookie coming up, and people always ask for a seasonal item,” said Brown Butter Cookie Company employee and senior Molly Himelblau. 

  Halloween isn’t just about the big businesses however, as it affects small businesses local to SLO as well. Stores like SLO Sweets have set up a couple of decorations, and pumpkin patches around the coast have begun to hire in preparation for the influx of customers ready to purchase pumpkins and get lost in a corn maze. 

  For those who are sick of seeing the pop up of Halloween themed items, embrace the season of terror as it helps businesses across the nation make a couple more bucks. Some might say the preparation for this holiday is too soon, but it’s time to embrace it with open arms.

  The season of spooky themed items is for all (Hallows Eve)!

Sources: statista.com, secondmeasure.com, zippia.com