Halloween spending, Travis Kelce x Six Flags, and last-minute Halloween costumes

Everyone’s buying skeletons and goblins. Except for Travis Kelce, who’s buying Six Flags. I crashed my parents’ staycation and I have more Halloween costume ideas if you really saved it to the last second.

The people are fiending for Halloween junk treasures

If you’ve recently purchased a decorative skeleton or a host of ghosts, welcome to the (extremely well-attended) club. Even though we’re seeing a decline in overall spending, Halloween shopping is set to break another record; consumers are expected to spend $13.1 billion on Halloween this year, which beats the previous record ($12.2 billion in 2023) by a landslide. And the Halloween tchotchkes are getting more niche: Vita Coco’s Labubu Halloween costumes and UrbanStems’ Tarot Card bouquet are two popular options this year. I mean, if you have a Labubu, you do kind of have to dress it up…

Only children are on the rise

The world population is aging, and we’re not on track to replace it. That’s because more and more people are choosing to have fewer kids; in the U.S., China, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, and many other countries, the birth rate is well below replacement level. For many, this is an economic choice; those who do choose to have kids are more likely than in previous years to stop at one and cite finances as the driver. This means the population is aging, and in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Oregon, Montana, and Florida, there are now more seniors than children.

Travis Kelce bought… Six Flags??

Well, he’s part of a fund (Jana Partners: same people who pushed for Whole Foods to sell to Amazon) that has purchased 9% of the park. They’re saying he grew up going to Six Flags, and he can bring back the hype. Which is badly needed, because visits to Six Flags have been declining about 50% year-over-year. Kelce said: “The chance to help make Six Flags special for the next generation is one I couldn't pass up.” If Taylor goes, I’ll go! Otherwise… no coasters for me.

My parents let me crash their staycation in Half Moon Bay! Were they hoping for it to be just the two of them? Don’t know, never asked! We had so much fun: got massages, played golf, celebrated my mom's 60th, and took a mirror selfie. This dress is going to be my go-to holiday staple (it's wool, so very warm!) and these shoes turned out to be the perfect kitten heel height: wore them two days in a row, did not hate myself by Monday.

Here’s a brief I wish on no one: work dinner (okay, easy) but also…followed by a bunch of walking? I think I figured it out with this dress + sneakers, but let me tell you, I tried on every single pair of low heels and flats in my closet before realizing I’ll never be a girl who can walk more than a mile in heels.

Halloween is in less than 48 hours, but if you haven’t planned a costume, it’s not too late to dress up as something clever that doesn’t require any last-minute purchases! For my laziest of lazy girls: Halloween costumes that you can make with stuff lying around your house.

1. Your Slack profile picture IRL: Whatever you were wearing when you got that professional headshot in 2021. Bonus points if you were holding some kind of prop (a plant, coffee cup) in the pic.

2. Vacation responder: All-white outfit, sunglasses, carry a sign that says “OOO until further notice.”

3. The Algorithm: All black. Carry a notebook. Whisper to people: “I decide what you see.”

4. Coworker who just got back from Europe: scarf, loafers, say “Ugh, my sleep schedule’s so off.” Maybe hold a baguette.

5. Espresso Martini: Brown outfit, white hat or headband (foam), add a coffee cup as an accessory.

Thanks for reading!