By Mary Ward
Halloween is more than a week away, but a look around Sydney’s suburban streets suggests the growing holiday is already in full swing.
Dean Salakas is co-owner and “chief party dude” of the Party People supply stores in Sydney’s inner west and south-west. Five years ago, he would make a few sales of Halloween items in August, but now his shop is inundated with customers months before the holiday.
Sydneysiders are getting into the Halloween spirit early, with decorations going up as early as October 1.Credit: Wolter Peeters
Salakas said people are decorating earlier, taking their queues from social media, where US influencers celebrate the “spooky season”. He decorated his own house on October 1.
“It’s kind of like how people decorate for Christmas on December 1,” he said.
“I add stuff every year. When you own a party shop, there’s a bit of an expectation.”
The Australian Retailers Association estimates Halloween spending will hit $490 million this year, up 14 per cent on 2022. That figure includes spending on items such as decorations, costumes and lollies.
Salakas said homewares were also popular this year, with people buying items to decorate the inside of their house, as well as their front yard.
As for costumes, shoppers are turning to popular TV shows for inspiration. While last year one of their bestsellers was a Squid Game suit, 2023 is “all about Wednesday costumes”, Salakas said. (His own children, aged six and seven, are traditionalists and have decided the family will dress up as skeletons.)
Wildlife advocates have urged households to be aware of the implications of keeping some types of decorations up for the weeks before October 31. Wispy fake spiderweb material can trap local birds, or create problems for their chicks when they use the synthetic material in their nests.
“We are concerned. We became aware of this last year and, to be honest, it was not on our radar before that,” said BirdLife Australia’s Sean Dooley.
“It is much more of a problem in North America, but in the past two years we’ve started to get a number of reports of birds becoming entangled.”
Dooley said members of the public who saw a bird caught in fake spiderwebs should not try to pull them out – it could break their legs and wings. Instead, cut the bird from the spiderweb before untangling it.
“We hate to be the fun-stoppers, but we are recommending not to use this stuff,” he said. “If you are, only put it up on the day, and avoid putting it in trees.”
When Natalie Thornhill moved onto Renwick Street Drummoyne, in Sydney’s inner west, 15 years ago, she knew it was a “Halloween street”.
As Sydneysiders’ interest in the holiday increased, the number of visitors to the street did too. So, in 2022 – after the festivities took a two-year pandemic break – Thornhill convinced local businesses and community groups to sponsor the event.
This year, there are 26 sponsors involved, as well as a grant– and road closures – from Canada Bay Council. Like many larger Halloween events in Sydney, the Renwick Street trick-or-treat is also raising money for charity, collecting business and attendee donations for disability charity Touched By Olivia.
“I thought: we get all of this foot traffic down here, we should leverage it for a good cause,” Thornhill said.
These sponsorships also fund the lollies, saving households from an expense “in the hundreds”, Thornhill said.
Local children in Drummoyne get into the Halloween spirit. Credit: Wolter Peeters
While its detractors will say Halloween is a US holiday fuelling children’s greed, Thornhill said the day was “more about turning strangers into neighbours”.
She said the number of houses already dressed up could indicate a desire to have a bit of joy in a difficult time for many, given recent news events.
“It’s tough times out there, right? But this is a fun, fairly inexpensive community event that people can create excitement with.”
Halloween streets around Sydney
Bondi: Murriverie Road and Avoca Street
Mosman: Holt Ave and Spencer Street
Haberfield: Hawthorne Parade
Padstow: Virginius Street
South Turramurra: Maxwell Street
Blackett: McLaren Street
Seaforth: Kempbridge Avenue
Cronulla: Caronia Avenue
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