Utah Gets Its Halloween On!

My how things have changed. When I was a kid, Halloween was really for the kids. We put on the costumes, grabbed the largest bag we could carry around, and went out for the candy haul of the night. Of course there were the annual Halloween pranks. In our town, the Rooster that was on top of one of the cafes in town would inevitably be left in the middle of the busiest intersection in town.

But that was about it. Not a lot of decorations to be seen, with the exception of a pumpkin in the window to let trick-or-treaters know they were welcome there.

Now, Halloween has officially become the Super Bowl of decorating. Across the country, homeowners are transforming their yards into spooky wonderlands, with everything from simple pumpkin displays to elaborate haunted house setups. If you're feeling pressure to step up your Halloween game, you’re not alone. It turns out Utah, according to a study from Lombardo Homes, is the number one state for Halloween décor in 2024! Yes, Utah takes Halloween so seriously that its most popular decoration is the spider. Not the tiny kind you flick off your arm—these are giant, yard-encompassing spiders that terrify the neighbors and delight trick-or-treaters.

Now Utah isn't the only state obsessed with Halloween flair. New Hampshire comes in second place, favoring Grim Reapers, while Vermont, West Virginia, and Delaware round out the top five, loving scarecrows and zombies. Each state seems to have its own preferred spooky aesthetic. For instance, Rhode Island, ranked seventh, is the only state where werewolves dominate the Halloween décor scene. Apparently, they’ve embraced the full-moon madness!

What’s driving this national obsession with Halloween decorating? Maybe it’s the irresistible combination of fear, fun, and festivity. According to surveys, people are spending more time and money than ever on creating the perfect spooky setup. And with decorations like creepy clowns, ghosts, and skeletons filling front lawns, the competition between neighbors to have the spookiest house on the block is fiercer than ever.

Interestingly, Alabama isn't as spookily inclined this year. Falling to last place in 2024, it seems Alabamans are taking a break from the Halloween frenzy. But don't worry—pumpkins still reign supreme there.

By the way, don't take this as some kind of a disapproving rant about getting our Halloween on here in Utah. I think it's great, fun, and lifts the spirits. And as long as our kids are still having fun and we keep the focus of the holiday on them, I'm all in.

So, if you’ve already put up a ten-foot skeleton and an inflatable witch in your yard, just know you’re part of a growing trend. And if you're from here in Utah, you're already winning at Halloween.