In Louisiana, one woman thought she was making a simple trip to Walmart to prepare for Halloween night. Instead, what she discovered on the shelves changed everything. Her outing ended not with a cart full of candy. But with a vow that her porch light would stay off this year.
What should have been an easy holiday errand quickly turned sour. This Louisiana woman walked the aisles looking for Halloween candy. But the prices staring back at her felt more like a trick than a treat. Candy bags that once cost a few dollars were suddenly priced high. High enough to make her second-guess the entire holiday tradition.
Image Source:@jmarie1250 /TikTok
The sight was jarring, and it raised questions. Are families being priced out of their own childhood traditions, or is Walmart cashing in on the holiday spirit?
Instead of giving in, the Louisiana woman made a choice. She decided it simply wasn’t worth it. Her porch light will stay off this Halloween. This means no candy, no children at the door, and no joyful laughter filling her neighborhood.
For many families in Louisiana, the cost of candy is just another reminder of how quickly things are changing. What was once about fun and community has turned into a decision about economics. The impact goes beyond a bag of candy.
Halloween Traditions Fading Away
In a viral TikTok, user @jmarie1250 filmed the Halloween candy aisle at her local Walmart, where giant black display boxes held bags of sweets. All priced between $19.97 and $29.97. The jaw-dropping prices left her stunned, and she admitted it’s forcing families to rethink how they celebrate Halloween.
She quickly learned she wasn’t alone. Her comments filled up fast. With followers venting the same frustrations about how expensive this holiday, and all others, have become. Sadly, children across the United States may never know the same thrill their parents once did.
“Why is candy cost more than steak?” one commenter asks.
“It’s so saddd. Life just isn’t the same anymore, ” another adds.
“Kids is about to get rob of their candy this year, those prices is crazy,” one more writes.
“The world Is super unsafe too many sketchy ppl. I think they just do trunk or treat nowadays. sad times.“
Racing door-to-door, comparing overflowing candy buckets, and soaking in the excitement of Halloween night. Instead, more kids are pushed toward trunk-or-treat events or kept at home entirely.
What was once a carefree celebration is now tangled in rising costs, safety fears, and tough decisions that dim the holiday’s magic. This woman’s story in Louisiana is far from unique. Across the state, families are grappling with the same questions. Is the fun worth the cost, or is it safer and cheaper to simply sit Halloween out?
As more porches go dark, it’s clear that the scariest part of Halloween in Louisiana isn’t the costumes or the haunted houses. It’s the thought that today’s children may never know the joy their parents once took for granted.
Hunter Spears 
Nina Franklin 
Sofia Bassett 
