Haunt the Feed: A Creator’s Playbook for Halloween Trends and Conversions 

Halloween 2025 isn’t just one spooky night anymore; it’s a full month of creative, hands-on fun, and across social media feeds, two major aesthetics are stealing the spotlight: vintage classics and Pinkoween glam. But what’s really interesting this year? The action has moved indoors. 

DIY décor searches are through the roof, and people are reimagining every room, pillow covers, garlands, shower curtains, rugs, and doormats. The home itself has become the costume. In the kitchen, ghost-shaped bakes, pumpkin comfort foods, and spicy-sweet experiments are taking over. Pop culture trends add their spark, but the vibe is simple: low pressure, high play. 

What People Feel: Low Pressure, High Play

Halloween continues to be one of America’s most creative, community-driven moments. On social, it’s not about perfection; it’s about participation. People want nostalgia, safe scares, and things they can make together. 

As one Reddit user put it:  “I don't go crazy, but I've always liked Halloween as just a fun communal holiday. No having to get the ‘right’ gift or travel 3 states over to have a turkey. Candy and monsters. No pressure and fun.” 

At the same time, new formats like trunk-or-treat are stirring debate. Some parents love the safety and convenience; others miss the old door-to-door magic. 

From One Night Out to a Month-Long Set Design 

Search data shows a clear trend: people are decorating every inch of their homes. Outdoor displays still turn heads, but the big momentum is indoors. 

On TikTok, searches for “Halloween decorations diy” are up a massive 17,000% year over year. The shift is clear: Halloween has gone from “What are you wearing?” to “What scene are you creating?” 

Vintage vs. Pinkoween 

Two styles dominate this year’s look, and both strike an emotional chord: 

• Vintage classics: jack-o’-lanterns, friendly ghosts, retro fonts, and warm, nostalgic colours. Think cosy movie nights, printable die-cuts, and classic banner motifs. 

• Pinkoween: A continuation of cute-spooky with a glam twist. Softer palettes, nail art, vanity corners, dorm-door makeovers, and collectable shelf displays. 

Vintage brings the comfort; Pinkoween adds the sparkle. Together, they balance familiarity and fun, and make Halloween highly shareable. 

The Kitchen Steals the Show

This year, Halloween is as much baked as it is worn. People are turning their kitchens into the new costume department with treats like: 

• Sweet spooky staples: ghost cupcakes, mummy cookie-dough truffles, spider cookies, and Halloween s’mores 
  
• Pumpkin-forward comfort foods: from pumpkin spice “monster” bars to hearty pumpkin stew 
  
• Potluck-ready visuals: spooky charcuterie boards made to be photographed and passed around 
  
• Heat-meets-sweet experiments: ghost-pepper cupcakes, spicy caramel apples, and chilli-infused chocolate bark

The “spicy dessert” trend is as much about fun as it is about caution; creators remind followers to handle chillies carefully and offer kid-friendly swaps.

The Moments That Make the Season 

Halloween 2025 is bigger than just October 31. The real joy is in the moments leading up to it: 

• Baking and treat-making in the kitchen 
• Movie marathons, comfort classics and new releases alike 
• Trips to haunted attractions for a “safe scare” 
• Pumpkin carving with friends and family 
• Dorm mixers, neighbourhood potlucks, and themed parties 

These are the memory-making beats that fill the month and keep people coming back every year

Pop Culture As The Spark

Pop culture keeps Halloween fresh and fuels discovery online. This year, a few trends are lighting up the feed: 

• Wicked’s “witch effect”: “witch Halloween costume” searches are up 234% 
• K-Pop Demon Hunters: driving a 522% jump in “K-pop Halloween costume” searches on Amazon 
• Jellycat plushes: turning seasonal décor into collectables 
• Movies: a dual pull between V/H/S Halloween (2025) and the 1978 Halloween classic
• Halloween Horror Nights: even more buzz, planning, and FOMO 

Pop culture adds the fuel, but nostalgia keeps the fire going. 

Retail Behaviour in the Feed 

Social media is the new Halloween marketplace. Hauls, décor reveals, and countdowns build hype and inspire replication. Limited editions and exclusive drops create urgency. 

At the same time, big-box value décor from places like Target and Walmart helps keep budgets grounded. Families continue to invest in costumes, candy, and decorations, the essentials that make Halloween feel like Halloween. 

And with trunk-or-treats and parties becoming more popular, there’s a second wave of demand for kits, bulk treats, and one-stop solutions. 

Why This Matters for 2026 Planning

Halloween 2025 tells a bigger story about how people create, connect, and shop. The home became the stage, the kitchen became the costume, and the feed became the marketplace. For brands and creators, that shift matters.

• For food and retail brands: The appetite for DIY comfort and shareable visuals isn’t going anywhere. People want experiences they can both make and post, meaning early content planning around seasonal creativity pays off all month long.
  
• For creators and small online brands: Social and search behavior show where inspiration and conversion meet. Trends like “heat meets sweet” and “room-by-room refresh” aren’t just fun they’re signals of what audiences will engage with next.

Knowing what drives that engagement, and how fast those shifts happen, is what sets winning brands apart.

Why Ipsos Synthesio

This analysis was powered by Ipsos Synthesio’s Signals GenAI, which surfaces the attitudes, behaviors, and cultural trends behind the data. With real-time social and search intelligence, you can see what’s resonating now, and plan what to create next.

If you want to understand where your audience’s attention is heading next Halloween (and beyond), book a demo below and see how Synthesio can turn cultural signals into smart, actionable strategies.