Zombies are everywhere. In one yard in St. Louis County, Missouri, an undead creature in long floral dress holds a sign: "Zombies are the 99 percent." Another waves a flag.
The walking dead mannequins are part of Tim Mulhall's elaborate Halloween decor. He spent eight hours setting up a graveyard with nearly 50 fake tombstones in front of his house. He and his wife, Katie, found the mannequins through boutiques and department stores, unloading them on Craigslist.
The Mulhalls are part of a North American trend. Spending on Halloween-related items is expected to rise to $8 billion, up 17.5 per cent from last year, according to a survey by BIGinsight on behalf of the National Retail Federation.
The average person will spend nearly $80 on decorations, costumes and candy, up from $72.31 last year. Retailers say customers are buying more accessories with their costumes.
The Mulhalls' decorations combine two of the season's hottest trends: zombies and politics.
Pop culture heavily influences top-selling costume and decor choices.
According to retailer Spirit Halloween, there are likely to be plenty of characters from the season's popular shows, games and movies: Batman, Power Rangers, Monster High, The Avengers, Angry Birds, Ted and The Hunger Games top their list of expected bestsellers.
In terms of spirited home decor, Ralph Snyder, trend expert and design director with Kohl's, recommends adding metallic and shine to furnishings. Distressed metallic vases, apothecary jars and vintage-inspired serving ware add a subtle seasonal touch, he said.
Skeleton photo-frames, skull decor and faux spiders are also popular choices, Synder said.
The Mulhalls have two coffins they display during their Halloween bash. The theme for this year's party will be Superstitions and Phobias. Katie plans to dress up like a bumblebee, while Tim and their three-year-old daughter, Lily, will both adorn themselves like clowns.
That's scarier than the army of undead protesters lining their driveway.
