Decorating for Halloween and maintaining the fall aesthetic hurts both our wallets and the environment
Illustration by Luisa Dela Cruz
As fall rolls around, consumerism is once again forced into our faces.
With fall fashion trends, the need to decorate with pumpkins, and Halloween coming up, we forget how much we are spending and on what.
Often, the things we buy for autumn are perched up on our shelves for only two months out of the year. After the season ends, we either chuck them in the trash or put them under our beds as they await their turn to come out again next year.
According to a nationwide survey done by Home Depot, 47 per cent of Canadians planned to decorate for Halloween last year.
The survey highlighted that 36 per cent of Canadians wanted more elaborate decorations in 2025, and 58 per cent were wanting to have new decoration arrangements altogether.
Additionally, in 2025 Canadians contributed an approximate $154 million USD in the global pumpkin spice market.
These statistics show that Canadians are not shy about spending money on the aesthetics of fall. The urge to buy a skeleton to put in your front yard, or to have a nice cup of coffee, is not wrong — but the way we go about it is.
As I like to say, awareness is the enemy of enjoyment. Even for those who are already sustainability focused, I urge you to not forget about it when a new season starts, because that is when it matters most. When your friends are going to buy a leather jacket (that is actually plastic) off of Amazon, direct them instead towards a local thrift store.
Or, if you know that you are really looking forward to pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks — and you remember how much you spent on them last year — maybe invest in a nice pumpkin spice syrup that you can add to your coffee at home.
There are also tons of places to find Halloween costumes and cozy clothes at thrift stores, like Value Village and the Salvation Army, around Victoria. If you prefer more curated or consignment stores, Cherry Pick Vintage and Upcycle Clothing Collective are my favourites.
You can even ask a friend if they have what you are looking for.
The point is, we should all be more aware, and ask ourselves questions before falling into the trap of overconsumption this season. This can also mean investing in items and pieces that you actually like, and will last you more than a month or two.
Instead of buying three different Halloween costumes for the three different parties you will be attending, maybe just ask your friends for pieces that you can turn into a costume.
You can pretend to be a lot of people by using the clothes you, or the people around you, already have — for example, Lady Diana in biker shorts and a crewneck sweater (if you don’t get that reference, we can’t be friends.)
For those who like to knit and crochet particularly in the fall — you don’t necessarily need to buy new yarn. You can recycle it either through pieces you have made before that you don’t wear or use anymore, or by going to the thrift store and unraveling yarn from a sweater or other type of knitwear.
Enjoying fall does not have to mean spending bunch of money on things that won’t last, or on items that you don’t actually want, and are only getting because it’s trendy.
I hope this encourages you to think more sustainably as you purchase items in the next couple months.
