While “Halloween decorations” may not be the first thing you think of when you hear Home Depot, every year, Halloween fanatics wait for the company to release its spooky collection. The last few years have shown an increase in popularity of the retailer’s “Skelly” decoration, a 12-foot-tall skeleton designed to lurk in the front yard. And believe me, it looks taller than 12 feet.
Now, Skelly has some technological upgrades and Home Depot has revealed that their collection of huge decorations won’t stop there—this year, they’re adding an 11-foot-tall mummy, and an 8-foot-tall plant monster.
One of the various updates on this looming skeleton includes being able to “talk” through the decoration in real time. Horrifying, I know. Owners will also be able to customize head and mouth movements, lighting effects on his eyes, and can now record and save sounds. Personally, I’d just put a great spooky playlist on loop.
The original Skelly was about $300, and Home Depot says he will still be available at that price. However, this new and updated version will almost certainly be more expensive.
I’m personally excited to see reactions to the 8-foot plant monster, which has motion-activated movement for jump scares. The mummy comes with poseable shoulders and customizable wrappings.
All of these exciting new additions to your Halloween collection aside, it is definitely important to shop consciously this (and every) spooky season. Overconsumption has become a more-discussed problem over the last few autumns with the increase of Halloween/fall-focused influencers online. From home decor and outdoor decorations to people buying multiple costumes every year just to throw them away. Stores always carry fall and Halloween decor, but people have made a trend out of buying specific items. It has also created an urge in many to over-aestheticize their homes to look a certain way for the month and a half of fall, buying new decor each season that they will not use year-round.
In 2025, consumers were expected to spend over $13 billion on Halloween decor, candy, costumes, you-name-it. It was a record-breaking year, and spending seems to only be continuing upward.
I have a particular round of applause for Skelly owners who found a way to make him work year-round.
The decorations from this year’s lineup look amazing, but make sure to consume wisely. If you’re already feeling the spooky spirit mid-summer, the new collection drops July 16 online. More of the new decorations will be released in stores this August.