Advent calendars counting down to Halloween have begun haunting UK shop shelves for the first time this autumn, according to new data from the country’s independent retailers.
Wholesale marketplace Faire, which connects hundreds of independent retailers and brands, has seen a 150% jump in the number of UK retailers buying ‘Halloween countdown calendars’ this year. More than 2,000 shops are now buying them globally from Faire and it’s the first time the already popular US product has officially crossed the Atlantic, as retailers turn to American traditions to capitalise on an increase in Halloween spending and shoppers begin building up to 31st October much earlier than before.
Charlotte Broadbent, UK general manager at Faire, said: “Halloween is becoming a much more significant retail moment for British retailers. They have ordered 70% more decoration and fancy-dress products via Faire this year, even outpacing the growth we’re seeing in the US, and Halloween countdown calendars are leading the charge.
“We’ve seen a 150% jump in the number of UK retailers buying Halloween countdown calendars on Faire, and there are also nearly double the number of UK brands selling Halloween countdown calendars on our platform, with 16 brands in 2025 compared to 9 in 2024.
“Retailers are increasingly turning to American Halloween products and traditions they can tap into and countdown calendars work perfectly because, as with Christmas Advent calendars, they attract footfall and spending much earlier on in the season. They also suit shoppers who want to start building up to the big event and decorating their homes long before 31st October.”
Something Different Wholesale is one of the gift companies supplying Halloween countdown calendars to independent retailers on Faire. Anthony David, managing director of Something Different Wholesale, said: “We launched our first Halloween Advent calendars last year after a colleague who is obsessed with Halloween had a trip to LA and came back with the idea of creating them. They sold through really quickly, so quickly, this year we more than doubled down our orders, brought them out earlier in the year and introduced two new versions. We’ve been blown away by demand.
“We originally thought it could be a product for the US market but sales in the UK have been really strong and we’ve had lots of repeat orders from UK customers which tells us they’re selling well in-stores too. We’re now getting ready to confirm next year’s orders in even greater quantities and introducing more new designs.”
Libby Ewart bought ‘Something Different Wholesale’s 13 Nights of Halloween Calendar’ for her online partyware and gift retailer BoxParty. She said: “Halloween seems to get bigger and bigger every year. I have bought 40% more stock for 2025 and I had to place four orders of countdown calendars because they’ve proved so popular.”
“Countdown calendars are a little bit different to the other Halloween products out there. The one I’ve been selling has a different spell each day, along with gemstones and even a little witch’s broomstick, which appeals to children as well as adults who like this kind of thing. This year Halloween is on a Friday so the countdown is really good.”
Lee Smart, owner of Mystery Dice Goblin, launched its first Halloween calendar for the board game shops and cafes it sells to via Faire, this year. He said: “Our first Christmas Advent calendar last year was a huge success and within about a month and a half, we’d sold out. Replicating it for Halloween was a no brainer really when we looked at how big a retail event it is in the US, especially amongst our audience. The retailers who stock our products sell to table top gamers who love Halloween, as it just goes hand in hand with the whole cosplay and Comic Con scene of dressing up.
“The calendar itself is 31 days and inside there you get a mixture of all different Halloween-themed dice. We’re actually planning a calendar counting down to Valentine’s Day for next year, for people to buy as a present for their partners who play table games.”
Halloween countdown calendars now being sold on Faire include:
13 nights of Halloween Advent calendar from Something Different Wholesale. Each door reveals a new surprise for ‘repelling unwanted energies and celebrating the season of spirits’ and its contents include a coffin-shaped obsidian crystal and mini broomstick.
Shelf of shadows 12-day Halloween Advent calendar from Something Different Wholesale. Contains miniature resin ornaments for creating a spooky display, including a crystal ball and witch’s hat.
Halloween cat Advent calendar from WufWuf. Contents include a pumpkin toy filled with catnip and a mummy toy to unwrap.
Halloween countdown calendar from Artiphany. Contains a window for each day in October, to tell a spooky Halloween story.
Halloween cross stich countdown calendar from Marvling Bros Ltd. Features 30 mini Halloween-themed cross stitches with a mini cross stitch to complete each day leading up to Halloween.
Halloween calendar from Mystery Dice Goblin. A calendar for tabletop gamers which contains a mixture of different Halloween-themed dice.
The boom in Halloween sales follow rise in demand for spiritual and mystical products such as tarot cards, astrology guides and crystals also being sold on Faire, from independent retailers seeking products for the increasing number of shoppers looking to embrace their spirituality. On social media, #WitchTok has now amassed more than 1.7 billion views globally
Faire has also seen:
- A 505% increase in sales of “wicked witches” themed home décor items year-on-year
- A 41% jump in sales of tarot cards compared to 2024
- Nearly 28,000 sales of crystal-inspired lighting, up 78% from 2024
- Searches for oracle decks in the UK have grown 72% year-on-year, and in the past 3 months alone, 2,000 UK retailers have searched for crystals
- Products like affirmation decks, moon-phase mugs and crystal soaps are now among the fastest-growing gifting categories being snapped up by retailers
