Halloween is traditionally an occasion for trick-or-treating, jump scares and dressing up, so why is it becoming a gifting occasion and what opportunities does this create for your business?
Halloween originally comes from Samhain, the Ancient Celtic festival where the changing seasons allowed the dead to cross over to the land of the living. It wasn’t much of a gifting occasion back then either, unless you count the offerings of food, drinks and light on doorsteps for protection. People would also disguise themselves or dress in animal skin to protect their identities.
With roots in medieval “souling”, where the poor would go door-to-door offering prayers for the dead in exchange for soul cakes – as well as the 1930s shift towards making Halloween a family-friendly occasion – Halloween became what it is today in the mid-to-late 20th Century, after sweets and chocolates boomed post-WWII.
But other than giving sweets to trick-or-treaters, Halloween was never really a gifting occasion, until “boo baskets” were popularised on social media in the early 2020s. Boo baskets are typically hampers made up of autumnal and halloween themed gifts like mugs, stuffed animals, pyjamas and so on.
Boo baskets and Halloween-themed gifting bring an opportunity for gifting companies, manufacturers and ecommerce businesses to combine different products into themed gifts. This is where value-added services (VAS) can help, with a 3PL assembling products into hampers and gift baskets for you, adding personalised messages and gift wrapping.
Although Halloween is much more popular in the US, UK Halloween retail expenditure reached £687 million in 2025 and is projected to increase to £777 million in 2026. Take this as your sign to explore how your 3PL’s VAS can help you prepare for seasonal gifting opportunities like Halloween!