It is the tricking or treating time of the year and the festival of Halloween has become an annual affair to invest in some really spooky yet stylish costumes. The market for Halloween costumes is growing in a big way with all kinds of new dress-up themes and ideas available in store for adults, kids, and even pets. The festival is said to boost the sales of costumes and candies the most and is celebrated with a lot of pomp.

The word Halloween meaning the "holy evening" falls on the 31st of October every year and is a time specially devoted for the remembrance of the martyrs, saints, and all loyal Christians. The enthusiasm of people knows no bound to celebrate the eeriest and darkest festivals of all. The traditional Halloween activities consist of bonfires, visiting haunted places, watching horror movies, decorating houses with pumpkins, trick or treating, and the most important of all is dressing up to look like a famous character or deck up to look creepy or frightful.

Halloween is celebrated with a lot of joy and galore in Ireland, where the festival originated, America, Canada, England, Mexico, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Austria. However the festival has caught the attention, and moreover the concept of costume parties is what has taken it forward to countries like Japan, China, Hong Kong, and France.

But the Halloween this year is extra special because it is falling on a Friday since 2008 and hence retailers and analysts are expecting it to turn into a weekend affair with families and individuals spending more on their holiday and costumes. In the United States the Halloween sales are expected to reach a dramatic $ 7.4 billion for the year 2014, a great progress from the $ 7 billion sales accounted for in 2013. On an average every individual is expected to spend at least $ 77.52 on the holiday. Therefore, this makes Halloween costumes sales a second big holiday season for apparel retailers after Christmas in America and Canada. United States is also home to many Halloween parades carried out on