Home Depot unveils 2026 Halloween collection with updated 12-foot Skelly

Home Depot will launch its 2026 Halloween collection online and in its app on July 16, with an in-store rollout following later in August and products reaching shelves in late August. The centerpiece is the 12-foot Skelly, the giant skeleton first introduced in 2020, now updated with custom sounds, light and servo motor movements, app-enabled real-time voice modulation, Bluetooth control, up to 30 recorded sounds and 20 different LCD LifeEyes effects.

The company said the original Skelly will sell for $299 in stores, while its giant in-store animatronics will be priced under $300. The lineup also adds an 11-foot giant-sized mummy and an 8-foot animated plant monster, extending a Halloween assortment that has turned one seasonal prop into a recurring consumer event.

Aubrey Horowitz, Home Depot’s decorative holiday merchant, said the collection was shaped by Halloween communities and social trends, reflecting how enthusiast demand now pushes retailers to refresh their seasonal mix every year. Sam Champion previewed the collection for ABC News, underscoring how the retailer has turned its Halloween reveal into a broader retail moment rather than a simple aisle reset.

The timing matches a market that keeps moving earlier. The National Retail Federation said Halloween spending in 2025 was expected to reach a record $13.1 billion, up from $11.6 billion in 2024 and $12.2 billion in 2023. The trade group said 49% of consumers began Halloween shopping in September or earlier, 79% expected prices to be higher because of tariffs and 78% planned to buy decorations. Even with those price concerns, 73% said they still planned to celebrate.

That mix of early demand and cost anxiety is driving a retail calendar that now starts months before October. Home Depot’s July launch gives shoppers a first look at high-ticket Halloween décor while leaving room for more sales in late summer, a strategy that lines up with other chains, including Lowe’s, which have also moved assortments up on the calendar. As tariff pressure and social-media buzz shape buying habits, Halloween has become less of a one-month season than a long runway for discretionary spending.