It’s officially spooky season and we can’t wait to decorate the sweet spots in our homes with some boo-tiful decorations and get all dressed up in scary, fun costumes.
Though traditionally celebrated in the US, Halloween fervour has creeped into Australia and has us hyped to hunt for some of the best decorations and costumes to get you Halloween-ready. Halloween is celebrated on October 31 every year and falls in the sweet spot between spring and summer in Australia.
Don’t drop hundreds of dollars on spooky merchandise. You can find some cheap deals if you’ve got a nifty eye. And we’re here to help. We've compiled a list of retailers selling some uber cool decor for you to choose from, and listed a couple of retailers from where you can get some eerie-sistable costumes.
Where to shop for Halloween supplies
Make your own Halloween decorations
Buying Halloween decor can be expensive, and you can often reduce costs by making your own tools and objects in your own home.
You don’t need to be a crafting extraordinaire to make some convincing spook-tacular decorations either. There’s a lot of great resources out there to help you create your very own haunted house on a budget, such as this YouTube video from 5-Minute crafts.
There’s also this video with some handy hints and tips for anyone interested in SFX makeup, that can add the scare-factor to any Halloween costume.
If you have access to a cutting machine like a Cricut, you can also halve your time when making halloween decor or costumes – and we’ve got a guide to Cricut machines if you’re interested in picking one up for crafts during the spooky season and beyond.
Halloween FAQs
What is Halloween?
Halloween is observed on the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day. Historically, it’s the time of the year dedicated to remembering the dead. It is celebrated across North America and much of Europe, with some countries keeping it purely non-religious. It is usually celebrated through parties, get-togethers, trick-or-treating and pranks.
When is Halloween?
It is celebrated on October 31 each year. The festival has its partial origin from the pre-Christian holiday known as Samhain, which was later adopted and modified to support Medieval practices of remembering the saints and martyrs, eventually becoming known as Halloween Day.
What is trick or treating? Do we go trick or treating in Australia?
Trick or treat is a fun activity where kids dress up in costumes and go house to house after dark and collect candies. It has since largely been popularised through pop culture and has made its appearance in Australia. Though not popular, locally kids keen for a sugar rush can be dressed up in wacky costumes to go trick or treating under the supervision of adults.
What will be the most popular costumes in 2023?
Looking at blockbuster releases this year, you’re likely going to find an interesting assortment when it comes to the night of Halloween. Expect a lot of Barbie inspired outfits following the movie's success, including "I am Kenough" jumpers and bright jumpsuits and roller skates for those looking to embody Barbie or Ken. The Super Mario Bros. Movie might also play a part in bringing Mario, Peach and even Bowser to the streets, making for a colourful time in 2023.
On the flipside, 2023 saw new films in the Scream and The Nun franchises, so Ghostface and Valak are probably going to pop up all over the place to give any scaredy cats a good fright. The continuing success of the homegrown cartoon series Bluey also offers opportunities for parents and little ones to dress up as their favourite family of dogs, including Bluey and Bingo, for something a little more wholesome while out trick-or-treating.
If you’re after dupes for costumes from top shows and movies, Amazon and eBay are great places to look for full outfits, props and makeup thanks to a wide variety of sellers.
What are traditional Halloween characters?
If you want to keep it old school, then perhaps a rowdy pirate or a scary mummy will do just fine for an office party. Other than that, you can also choose to be a vampire, ghost, ghoul, fairy, princess, nun, clown or witch - there’s no shortage of horror if you can pick the right fit.
