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71% parents plan to spend more on Halloween to make up for COVID year, survey finds

Some parents will even go into debt to help spread holiday cheer, according to survey data

Halloween decorations outside a home (Photo: Cleveland Clinic News Service)

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – Nearly three out of four parents plan to spend more money on Halloween in 2020 to make up for a year filled with missed opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Lending Tree Survey.

Can money buy happiness? No, but that will not stop most parents from trying.

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In a new survey conducted by Lending Tree, one of the country’s largest lending marketplaces, most parents surveyed with children under 18 say they plan to spend more on Halloween because they have already missed out on other celebrations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company said parents have faced challenges this year transitioning children to remote learning models and dealing with events and activities being canceled through the year so far.

“Parents, in particular, have faced huge challenges. Many schools remain closed. Social distancing has been factored into play dates, if they happen at all,” the company said in a statement. “Birthday parties, Little League games and school graduations have been affected. That, and more has made 2020 a downright difficult year for both parents and their little ones.”

Additionally, 54% of parents surveyed said they spent more on Halloween than they could afford at some point in the past. The most common reason: They wanted their decorations to look as good as their neighbors'.

In fact, some parents will even go into debt to help spread holiday cheer, according to survey data.

To read the survey results in full, click here.

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About the Author
Jakob Rodriguez headshot

Jakob Rodriguez is a digital journalist at KSAT 12. He's a graduate of Texas State University, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the student-run newspaper, The University Star.

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