Halloween

Content Guide

• When is Halloween
• What is Halloween celebrating
• Major Halloween sales
• Discounted Halloween products
• FAQ

When is Halloween 2026?

Halloween 2026 falls on Saturday 31 October, and the date itself never moves: it's always the 31st.

What changes year to year is the day of the week it lands on, which affects things like how far in advance shops start discounting and whether trick-or-treating spills into the weekend either side.

What day is Halloween on this year?

What is Halloween celebrating?

Halloween traces back to older harvest and autumn festivals, when it was believed the boundary between the living and the dead was at its thinnest. For most people in the UK today it's less about that history and more an evening built around costumes, trick-or-treating and pumpkin carving. Front doors get decorated, kids go round the neighbourhood, and shops lean into everything orange, black and slightly spooky for most of October.

Halloween sale events you don’t want to miss

Retailers tend to split fairly cleanly by what they specialise in, so it's worth knowing where to look first.

For home styling, The Range Halloween decorations range remains one of the widest on the high street, running from garden displays to tableware and regularly bundled with a seasonal promotion on larger orders, while Dunelm Halloween decorations lean more toward cushions, table linen and lighting in an autumnal, pumpkin-tinted palette that works well beyond just one night.

Supermarkets cover the practical side of the shopping list: Aldi Halloween food turns up every year in a dedicated aisle alongside low-cost costumes and pumpkin-carving kits aimed squarely at families watching their budget, and Tesco Halloween costumes sit next to pumpkins and own-brand décor in one trip, often alongside Clubcard-linked promotions in the run-up to the 31st.

For costumes specifically, TK Maxx and SHEIN sit at opposite ends of the spectrum (TK Maxx for discounted branded pieces, SHEIN for cheap, fast-turnaround fancy dress) while Disney Store and Boohoo bookend the age range, Disney for kids’ Halloween costumes and Boohoo for teens and adults after something more fashion-led.

A handful of other names round out the list. The Works and Card Factory are worth checking for cards, craft kits and small novelty items that tend to sell out fast closer to the date, the LEGO Halloween wreath has quietly become one of its most popular seasonal sets and a fun alternative to traditional door decorations, and National Trust Halloween events at properties around the country give families a day out to go with the usual shopping list.

Find the best Halloween offer on costumes, decorations and more

• Costumes make up the biggest part of most shopping lists every October, covering everything from toddlers to matching group and couples’ Halloween costumes, and it's the category where prices move the most in the final fortnight before the spooky night.
• Decorations, especially for the front garden and doorway, are the second-biggest category, and it's common to see a proper Halloween decorations sale in the last week of October as retailers clear seasonal stock.
• Halloween party food and sweets, including multipack bags for trick-or-treaters, plus themed snacks and drinks for anyone hosting, are usually cheapest bought in bulk rather than picked up last minute.
• Halloween makeup and nail art has grown into its own shopping category, with themed palettes and press-on nails now stocked well beyond the beauty aisle, in supermarkets and value retailers too.

Frequently Asked Questions about Halloween

• Why is Halloween celebrated on October 31st?

The date comes from Samhain, an ancient Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest, which fell on the night of 31 October. Christian tradition later folded it into All Hallows' Eve, the evening before All Saints' Day on 1 November, and the date has stuck ever since.

• Is Halloween a bank holiday in the UK?

No, Halloween isn't a bank holiday in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, so shops open as normal (often with Halloween offers running right up until the end of the day on the 31st).

• When do Halloween sales usually start in the UK?

Most retailers begin rolling out seasonal promotions from early October, with the deepest reductions typically appearing in the final week before the 31st as stores clear remaining stock.

• Is it cheaper to wait until closer to 31 October to buy Halloween decor or costumes?

Often, yes, particularly for decorations, which tend to be discounted heavily once retailers start making room for Christmas stock. Costumes can go either way: popular sizes and styles sell out early, so waiting too long sometimes means paying more for a smaller choice, not less.