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Kemp with two of her three children in front of the 2011 version of the bonfire of pumpkins. |
Ghosts and goblins have taken more and more of their share
of Americans’ money over recent years, and there doesn’t seem to be a slowdown
anywhere on the horizon.
According to a projection from the National Retail
Federation, Americans will spend more than $8 billion on Halloween this year,
for an average of almost $80 per person – an increase of 16% from 2011. That $8 billion even includes $370 million on
costumes for pets, which is an increase of 30% over the previous year.
But is it necessary to spend that much money for the annual
spooky holiday?
Dana Kemp, financial sales representative at the Community
Financial Canton Center branch, has created a family and neighborhood friendly
Halloween tradition, for less than $40.
Last year, Kemp visited a local pumpkin patch with about $35
in her pocket on Halloween morning and walked away with about 24 pumpkins for
her décor that night, showing even Halloween decorating can be done on a
budget.
Spending the next eight hours carving flames into those
pumpkins, she created a “bonfire of pumpkins,” something she replicated from
having seen it at another house during a previous Halloween.
“We try to make it a family friendly atmosphere, where even
a toddler can come up and not feel fearful at all,” Kemp said. “That was my whole goal to not make anything
scary.”
By decorating for Halloween for less than half the cost of
what the average American is expected to spent this year, Kemp’s check account
isn’t going to scare her either.
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