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1. Decorating in September
Nearly half of Americans (49%) start their Halloween shopping in September or earlier, and 51% decorate the house or the yard. In France, candy and decorations reach the supermarkets around mid-October, and most houses stay as they are. More on that in why Americans decorate for every season.
I will admit it: the first time I saw an American porch done up in September, I was impressed. In France nobody puts that much effort into a door.
2. A skeleton taller than the front door
Americans will spend $4.2 billion on Halloween decorations this year. Giant inflatables and life-size skeletons are normal on an American lawn. French houses have very few decorations, and elaborate haunted houses are rare.
3. Pumpkins that never get eaten
In France, a pumpkin is soup. In America, it sits on the porch until it rots. The numbers are in why Americans don’t eat their pumpkins.
4. Costumes that are cute, not scary
In France, Halloween costumes are meant to be scary: witches, ghosts, skeletons. In America, you can go as a hot dog, a bumblebee or a celebrity. As for me, I don’t wear costumes. I open the door.
Halloween quiz
How American Is Your Halloween?
One pumpkin or nineteen, a door or a twelve-foot skeleton, soup or carving.
Take the quiz5. Dressing the dog
Americans will spend $860 million on pet costumes this year. The most popular is a pumpkin, then a hot dog, then a bumblebee. Most French dogs will not be asked.
6. Grown-ups in costume
American adults will spend $2 billion on their own costumes, more than they spend on their children’s ($1.4 billion). In France, Halloween is mainly for children. Some adults have parties, but nobody wears a costume to the office.
7. Candy for dinner
Americans will spend $3.9 billion on candy, and 66% of them hand it out. In a French house, candy comes after a meal, not instead of one. The one sweet moment of the afternoon is the goûter.
Which of these have I given in to? None. I’m holding the line.
Then comes Toussaint
While America cleans up, France goes quiet. 1 November is a public holiday for remembering the dead, with chrysanthemums on family graves. In 2026 it falls on a Sunday, in the middle of the school break. More in what is Toussaint.
Questions, answered
Do French people celebrate Halloween?
Some do, mostly families with young children. It became popular in the late 1990s through brands, and about 80% of French people saw it as mainly commercial in 2022.
What do French kids say for trick or treat?
“Des bonbons ou un sort”: candy or a spell.
Why are French Halloween costumes scary?
In France, Halloween is about witches, ghosts and skeletons. Cute and funny costumes are an American habit.
Still wondering?
Ask my French husband.
A short ruling in a few seconds. Written by AI from our Journal, in his voice.
For more of my Halloween verdicts, we’re on Instagram — and Le Bulletin gets field notes like this one.
Before you go
Could You Survive a French Dinner Party?
When to arrive, which flowers never to bring, and when to leave.
