Spooky season starts early as Halloween decorations arrive in stores
Some stores are dedicating shelf space to Halloween decorations in preparation for the fall festivities.
Although the country is experiencing a midsummer heatwave, some stores are already preparing displays for fall 2026 and have begun decorating for Halloween.
Over the July 4th weekend, USA TODAY reported that craft store Michael’s was stocking its shelves with spooky, fall-inspired ornaments, and Costco began selling giant skeleton lawn ornaments with LCD eyes for $259.99.
Spirit Halloween, the seasonal store synonymous with Halloween, has already unveiled its 2026 animatronic collection, according to a news release emailed to USA TODAY. This collection features 11 new spooky characters that are sure to scare unsuspecting trick-or-treaters this year.
Disney is also getting in on the Halloween fun, with the Disney Store teasing Halloween drops on Instagram and posting photos of merchandise inspired by the Disney Parks’ famous attraction, the Haunted Mansion.
In a post, the Disney Store said, “We anticipate spooky and fun Halloween items coming to Disney Stores soon.”
Here’s a look at the spooky drops for Halloween 2026 so far.
When is Halloween in 2026?
Halloween falls on October 31st every year. But Halloween 2026 will be even more special.
This year, the festival falls on a Saturday, making it the perfect time to go trick-or-treating, throw a Halloween party, or stay up until 3 a.m. to watch horror movies without worrying about going to work or school the next day.
Unforgettable merchandise from Disney Store
Disney unveiled a Haunted Mansion-inspired collection on July 6 that includes ear headbands, Christmas tree ornaments, dolls, squishmallows, home decor and more, according to a news release emailed to USA TODAY.
However, the Disney Store’s Halloween shop is “coming soon,” according to the website. It has not been officially announced when the collection will be released.
michaels retro halloween aesthetic
The shelves at Michael’s, a craft retailer with 1,300 stores nationwide, are already lined with eerie decorations adorned with antique portraits and illustrations of celestial motifs.
The retailer has released multiple collections as part of its 2026 Halloween line.
- bound by magic (On sale in stores from June 26th) – A collection inspired by magicians, fortune tellers and vintage carnival sideshows, straight from the early 20th century aesthetic.
- mischief and magic (On sale in stores as of June 26th) – Remember those colorful Halloween decorations from the late 1990s? This collection is for you. It consists of Brightly colored ghosts and pastel pumpkins. Bright pink, light blue and orange create the color palette of these decorations.
- vintage spirits (Released on July 17th) – This collection is inspired by mid-20th century Halloween, with a color palette of black, orange, and white. The line features heavy motifs of ghosts, jack-o-lanterns, and black cats.
- sacred hall (Released on July 17th) – This collection contains works that fit into the Gothic library. It features Victorian portraits and literary references reminiscent of the famous poet Edgar Allen Poe.
- enchanting romance (Released on July 17th) – This collection is perfect for hopeless romantics with a witchy side. It includes dark floral motifs, a heart and dagger motif, a portrait of William Shakespeare, and references to Romeo and Juliet.
Giant skeleton looms over shoppers at Costco
Shoppers might pause when they see this giant skeleton on a Costco shelf.
USA TODAY spotted a giant skeleton lawn decoration at a Costco store in Miami, along with Halloween dog greeters modeled after a cocker spaniel wearing devil horns and a hat, a Doodle wearing a black and orange witch’s hat and collar, and a French bulldog wearing a black and purple witch’s hat and collar.
This decoration is also featured on Costco’s website as part of its boutique.
Also listed online is a 6-foot Vampire Butler animatronic and a 7.3-foot Gargoyle animatronic.
Are there any plans to release the Halloween collection at other stores?
While other retailers have not officially announced when their Halloween collections will be released, companies like Target, Home Depot, and Walmart release Halloween collections every year.
In recent years, Home Depot went viral in 2020 when its 12-foot giant skeleton Halloween decoration named Skelly became internet famous, according to a previous report by USA TODAY. In July 2025, the company announced plans for this year’s Halloween collection, featuring creatures and goblins that would terrify trick-or-treaters.
Similarly, Target’s Halloween collection will go viral in 2023, featuring Louis the Pumpkin Ghoul, an 8-foot-tall animatronic, singing the now-famous line “I do not have jack o lantern. My Name is Luis” has racked up millions of views.
Target has not officially announced when its Halloween collection products will return to stores, but in previous years it had announced that it would bring back Halloween products in July 2024 and August 2025.
Julia Gomez is a trends reporter for USA TODAY, covering space phenomena, scientific research and natural disasters. Connect with her on LinkedIn ×Instagram, TikTok: @juliamariegz or email JGomez@usatodayco.com.
