Here Are the Top Halloween Costume Picks for 2022

Halloween is generally full of thrills, chills, and sweet surprises, but don't be surprised if you see plenty of witches and Harley Quinns heading door-to-door this year.

The two costumes are currently in the top two spots for 2022 Google searches, according to data compiled by the people behind The Ellie Sparkles Show, which streams on YouTube and YouTube Kids.

Venom (the Marvel comic book hero), Wednesday Addams, and Dinosaur rounded out the top five. (A specific pre-historic creature called the Quetzalcoatlus did not make the list but totally should have.)

Other traditional favorites also made the top 20, including ghost (No. 6), pirate (No. 9), Spider-Man (No. 10), and vampire (No. 12).

Hocus Pocus 2 has been all the rage on social since premiering on September 30, but that didn't get it to crack the top 20. That said, you may see Sarah Sanderson at a Halloween party. The Ellie Sparkles team says searches for Sarah Sanderson spiked 1,300% in the last three months.

We typically focus our spending on winter holidays, but the Ellie Sparkles survey looked into how much parents planned to fork over for Halloween costumes. The average spent on each child is about $39.84 per year, according to a survey of 1,000 U.S. parents. But some places go way over that. D.C. parents spend the most on average ($59.15). Nebraska ($58.17), New Jersey ($56.62), Washington ($54.38), and Nevada ($51.16) make up the rest of the top five.

Parents in other states are more restrained in spending. Wyoming parents spend an average of $8 per child on costumes—nearly 640% less than their D.C. peers.

Rhode Island ($21.33), Iowa ($21.94), Alaska ($22), and Michigan ($22.32) are also lower spenders.

Inflation woes may have you rethinking Halloween spending this year, or perhaps you simply want to flex your creative muscle. The Ellie Sparkles Show offered a few ways to save on costumes, including:

• Borrow or swap costumes—it's a perfect way to get rid of last year's costumes and make room for new.
• Create a budget and stick to it.
• Make your own costumes.

Halloween can be fun without breaking the bank. From fun crafts to dance parties, there are low-to-no-cost ways to treat your kids to a memorable celebration.