On Halloween, ghouls just want to have fun.

But so do retailers, who rely on the second-largest decorating season of the year to boost sales. And while Halloween spending is projected to dip slightly on the national front, area retailers say they have nothing to howl about.

"We've been wiped out," said Rob Younghouse of Younghouse Distributing Co., which specializes in costumes and decorations year-round. "Everything else this year has been pretty flat, but this Halloween has been pretty great."

Parents and children have gobbled up Halloween costumes such as Freddy Krueger, Jason, the Hulk and Michael Myers. They've also stocked up on candy to hand out Friday night when the bizarre mix of ghosts, goblins and princesses come knocking.

They've decorated their lawns with plenty of pumpkins, witches and other spooky lawn ornaments during the Halloween season, which is second only to Christmas in terms of decorating dollars.

Customers milled about Younghouse Wednesday morning, sifting through skulls, straddling brooms and pulling on wigs.

In one aisle, Paula Diebold of Kelso, Mo., helped her 2-year-old son, Colton, try on a scarecrow costume.

"We're going to at least spend the same as last year," she said, estimating that would be between $75 and $100. "We like to do it up right. It's just once a year."

That's more than most will spend. A recent survey done by the National Retail Federation found that 55.8 percent of consumers plan to celebrate Halloween, spending about $41.77. That is slightly less than last year, when consumers spent an average of $44.20.

"I'll spend that much today," said Debbie Nenninger of Bloomfield, Mo., who was shopping Wednesday for some knight's armor and a vampire costume for her two daughters.

Nenninger said she would also spend more than $100 on candy, costumes and decorations.

Has the economy slowed down her spending?

"Shoot no," she said. "Ask my husband. I never stop spending."

David Vaughn of Hobby Lobby, which primarily deals with home decorations, said they have sales similar to last year.

"It's been about an average year," he said. "I wouldn't say it's been particularly strong, but it could have been worse. We're not doing much Halloween now. But people who decorate did so several weeks ago."

At Spencer Gifts in the mall, manager Cherie Isom said they've sold out of masks of Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger and Leatherface of Texas Chainsaw Massacre fame.

"With those movies out this summer, they sold out pretty quick," she said. "Sales have been very good overall, though. Every week, we've probably been up 5 percent or higher."

People spend on Halloween because it's such a fun event, Isom said.

"If they find exactly what they're looking for, they don't care what it costs," she said.

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137