Brits are over creepy clowns as they take a more light-hearted approach to Halloween

Three quarters of Brits prefer a more light-hearted approach to Halloween, aiming not to frighten people.

A survey of 2,000 adults who celebrate the spooky season revealed that 33% go all out, transforming their front gardens with charming, family-friendly decorations instead of terrifying clowns and gruesome body parts.

In fact, 35% believe that Halloween gore has become excessive. The most popular decorations are playful pumpkins (51%), cosy candles (34%) and string lights (32%).

The study was commissioned by M&M’S, which is adorning the doorway of one fortunate superfan with adorable decorations for Halloween. Nicki Rodriguez, 48, from Ongar, Essex, said: “As part of my job, I have a side hustle decorating the inside of homes for Easter, Halloween, and Christmas.”

“I go all out for Halloween inside my own home, but I never have time to do the outside, so this would be ‘perfect,’ a ‘dream come ‘true’,’ and a ‘nice change.’ I totally relate to the trend of wanting more fun and friendly Halloween decorations. My son has autism, so I avoid gory or scary decor myself, and I notice my clients prefer nice, friendly decorations as well.”

The research also discovered that nearly a quarter (26%) said they’d be more likely to participate in the spooky season if it was less scary and the same amount (26%) would be more likely to visit a home that was decorated with more family-friendly themes.

On average, Brits are splashing out £56 on Halloween decorations, with eerie cobwebs (30%), friendly phantoms (29%) and chilling skeletons (28%) topping the popularity charts. However, one in 10 admit to feeling uneasy or deterred by creepy or scary adornments.

Almost half of the respondents (49%) confessed that their friends and family inspire them to deck out their homes for Halloween, while 46% simply revel in the seasonal festivities.

For 30%, the perfect Halloween night involves carving pumpkins, while nearly a quarter (24%) prefer baking Halloween treats and 23% take pleasure in decorating their homes.

Sophia Padt, Mars Wrigley’s head of Halloween fun, who has teamed up with Ring doorbell to revive the playful spirit of Halloween, commented: “Halloween should be for everyone, not just those who love the gruesome and gore. We hope to encourage more people to participate and create some entertaining memories along the way.”