Witches, Wednesday, and a wave of K-Pop: What’s trending this Halloween in Malta

Once upon a time, Halloween in Malta was just a foreign holiday. Fast-forward to 2025, and it’s become one of the busiest times of the retail year – at least according to shop representatives who’ve spent the past few weeks surrounded by witches, skeletons, and an alarming number of clown masks.

“It’s getting bigger every year,” one representative tells BusinessNow.mt, noting that the island’s love for spooky fun continues to grow, with “foreign clients celebrating it more.”

The classics still reign but new favourites emerge

At one popular costume shop, the trend is clear: The classics remain undefeated. “Clowns and witches are the most common ones but are very popular,” the shop’s representative says. Still, new inspirations are creeping in. “Wednesday has been very popular – even K-Pop, clowns and the basic ones,” they added, pointing to the enduring influence of Netflix’s Wednesday and South Korean pop culture.

Preparation starts early. “We start preparing right after the summer shutdown,” the shopkeeper explained. “Small requests start coming in, then in the second week of October we have a big load. Three to four days before Halloween, people start coming in for last-minute costumes.”

K-Pop queens and Beetlejuice boys

At Pukka Store, Owner Erika Bellizzi said this year’s Halloween rush began weeks ago. “The girls are opting for more K-Pop costumes, meanwhile the boys are choosing Beetlejuice costumes and skeletons,” she said. “During the year, with a shop, you have to keep on working and preparing for every season. In September, I do the last Halloween order.”

According to Ms Bellizzi, adults are increasingly getting in on the fun. “Squid Game costumes are among the most popular among adults,” she revealed. “However, children’s costumes always remain more popular.”

She also noted a shift away from the spooky stereotype. “Halloween is becoming more and more popular, and people aren’t only going for scary costumes but also generic costumes like superheroes.”

Bemania’s early start and endless fake blood

At Bemania, planning begins even earlier. “My suppliers start in May and June, but I usually think about ordering in July or August,” a representative explained when we spoke to her at the beginning of October.

Despite all that planning, she admitted that local shoppers aren’t always the earliest birds. “Malta is very late. No one has even started looking for costumes yet,” she said with a laugh.

Still, some trends are timeless. “Scream is always popular. We have costumes from newborns to adults – pumpkins for adults, skeletons for boys, witches for girls, and even Dracula or pumpkin outfits for babies.”

Accessories are a whole other story. “Costume accessories are even popular, and I can never have enough blood,” she said. “It always runs out, and so does white face paint and contact lenses.”

And when it comes to adults? “Sometimes they create their own costumes,” she noted. “Ladies often go for pumpkins or very gory looks. They also do sexy – so if it’s a witch, it’s with a short skirt. The men buy very few costumes, but it’s Scream, prisoners, or Squid Game.”

With Maltese shops busier than ever and customers leaving their costume choices to the very last minute, one thing is certain – Halloween isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

As for me, I’ll be dressing up as a zombie cowboy tonight – and I’m glad none of the shop owners mentioned it, so at least I’ll be original.