Halloween subject lines that included 🕷️ and 🌚 emojis performed better than average.
Subject lines with a 🕷️ emoji saw open rates of around 23%, while those with a 🌚 emoji reached about 22%. In comparison, the average open rate across all Halloween promotional emails was roughly 20%.
That small 2–3% boost might seem minor, but during high-volume holiday campaigns, it can translate into thousands of opens and clicks.
However, many brands struggle to get that open rate because of bland email subject lines, missing the perfect chance to haunt attention.
That’s why in this article, we’ve shared:
- 100 of the best Halloween email subject lines for 2025, grouped by intent
- Copy & paste AI prompts to instantly generate personalized spooky subject lines
- Tips to write your Hocus Pocus Halloween subject line
- 5 Unique and fun Halloween sign-offs
Boost open rates and recover more sales this spooky season effortlessly with Retainful’s customizable Halloween email templates
100 Halloween email subject line examples for every campaign
To increase your open rates and drive Halloween conversions, you need subject lines that are festive, urgent, and irresistible.
Here we’ve curated a list of 100 Halloween email subject lines in 10 categories:
- Creative & punny Halloween email subject lines
- Direct & benefit-oriented subject lines
- Urgency & last-minute FOMO subject lines for Halloween
- Halloween flash sale email subject lines
- Personalized & exclusive access - Halloween subject lines
- New product drop & costume/themed subject lines
- Emoji powered subject lines (👻, 🎃, 🕷️)
- Cart abandonment & reminder subject lines
- Post-purchase follow-up subject lines
- General & happy Halloween subject lines (Perfect for a newsletter)
Create, schedule, and personalize your Halloween email sequences in minutes using Retainful’s pre-built workflows.
1. Creative & punny Halloween email subject lines
Punny subject lines inject humor and holiday spirit right into the inbox, making your email feel like a fun treat.
- Witching You a Happy Halloween! 🧙♀️
- Have a Fang-tastic Halloween! 🧛
- BOO! 👻 Our Spooky Deals Are Back!
- Shop the boo-tique! (Inspired by Modcloth)
- Don't be a basic witch. See our new arrivals.
- No Tricks, Just Treats in Our Sale! 🍬
- Creep it real this year with a new look.
- Is Fortnum's haunted? Find out inside.
- This sale is wickedly good. 😈
- UnBOO-lievable savings start now!
Related reading: 120+ Black Friday email subject lines for 2025 (with AI Prompts)
2. Direct & benefit-oriented subject lines
Sometimes, the best email marketing strategy is to clearly state the value. These subject lines immediately highlight the discount, appealing to customers who prioritize savings.
- Spooky Savings: Up to 50% Off Everything!
- Halloween Sale! Get 30% Off Your Entire Purchase.
- Everything You Need for a Killer Costume.
- Your Halloween Essentials? We've Got 'Em. 🛒
- Happy Halloween! Your Favorites Are Waiting.
- Scary Savings Inside: Shop Now or Never!
- 50 % Off on New Candy for Your Trick-or-Treat Bowl.
- Dress to Impress this Halloween! Costumes & More.
- FREE Shipping on All Haunted Home Goods.
- Final Hours: Grab Spooky Discounts Before They're Gone!
Related reading: 10 Best Discount Email Templates + Examples
3. Urgency & last-minute FOMO subject lines for Halloween
The holiday season creates natural urgency. Use FOMO to remind customers that the best deals are about to vanish like a ghost.
- The Witching Hour Is Approaching… Sale Ends at Midnight! ⏳
- Last Chance for Spooktacular Savings!
- Don't Let Halloween Sneak Up on You! Order Today!
- Final Hours! Don't Ghost This Sale! 👻
- Haunted Deals Inside – Check Before They Vanish!
- Don't be scared, but our sale ends at midnight!
- Ending Tonight: 50% Off EVERYTHING! 😮
- Hurry! Your Treats Expire at 11:59 PM.
- This is not a drill: Last day for our Halloween deals!
- The clock is TICKING to get your costume delivered!
Related reading: 10 Best Back in Stock Email Examples (Tips + Free Templates)
4. Halloween flash sale email subject lines
A flash sale requires immediate action. These subject lines make it clear that a huge, time-limited deal is waiting inside.
- Halloween Flash Sale: Save big on spooky goodies!
- The Great Pumpkin Flash Sale is officially live!
- Spooktacular discounts end tonight: Shop now or never!
- Get ready to scream… with joy! Our flash sale starts!
- Trick or treat yourself with 48-hour savings!
- Don't miss these ghoulish goodies before midnight.
- Surprise! It's back – 25% off for 24 hours only.
- Spellbinding savings 'til midnight! 🔮⏱️
- Final call for our terrifyingly good Halloween sale!
- Last Day of the ghostly sale: Your discount is about to vanish!
5. Personalized & exclusive access - Halloween subject lines
Make your customers feel like VIPs (Very Important Pumpkins). Using email personalization strategies and exclusive access can significantly increase open rates.
- A special Halloween treat for you, [Name]!
- [Name], your exclusive Halloween preview awaits!
- Only for you, [Name]: Spooktacular savings inside!
- VIPs get the first scare—early access starts now!
- Something wicked this way comes… just for our best customers.
- Celebrate Mummy of the year! [Name], here's your reward.
- Your personal invite to the Halloween boo-tique.
- We saved the best treats for you, our top ghoul!
- [Name], do you dare open these haunted deals?
- Unlock your terrifyingly exclusive 20% off code.
6. New product drop & costume/themed subject lines
These subject lines focus on products, themes, and excitement around preparing for the holiday. They're perfect for retailers launching new items or promoting relevant collections like costumes and decor.
- Everything you need for a boo-tiful Halloween!
- Get your costume sorted before the party starts!
- Dress to impress this Halloween—new arrivals inside.
- Introducing our new line of spooky home decor! 🎃
- Ghouls just wanna have fun—start here! 👻
- Curated for creeps, cuties & creatures. Shop the drop!
- Haunted home makeover starts now.
- Be the queen of candy with our bulk treat bags.
- Creepy crawlies are here: Shop the spider collection!
- Have a fang-tastic night with our party essentials.
7. Emoji-powered spooky subject lines (👻, 🎃, 🕷️)
Emojis are visual magnets in a crowded inbox. They instantly convey the holiday theme and add personality. Use them at the beginning or end of your subject line to stand out.
- Boo! 👻 Get spooky savings inside!
- 🎃 Our Halloween sale is officially live!
- 🕷 A creepy-crawly collection just dropped!
- Need to calm a sugar high? 🍬 Shop our post-treats deals.
- Witching hour is approaching… ⏳ Final chance!
- The candy is calling! 🍫 Stock up now.
- Don't be scared 😱, these discounts are huge!
- 🧛♀ Curated for creeps, cuties & creatures. Get yours!
- This sale is magically delicious ✨. Don't miss it.
- 🔮 Spellbinding savings for a limited time.
8. Cart abandonment & reminder subject lines
Recovering abandoned carts is critical during high-volume shopping periods. These cart recovery subject lines use a little festive fear or urgency to encourage them to complete their purchase.
- Don't let your costume vanish! Your cart is waiting.
- Did you ghost your cart? Your treats are still here!
- Uh oh! Your spooky items are almost out of stock.
- Your cart looks a little haunted… complete your order!
- Forget something wicked? 😈 Finish checking out!
- Need a reminder? Here's 10% off your abandoned items.
- The witching hour is near: Your cart expires at midnight!
- We saved the candy for you, but hurry!
- Don't let these deals turn into tricks. Come back!
- Your ultimate Halloween checklist is still unfinished.
Related reading: 15 Cart Abandonment SMS Templates to Recover Lost Revenue
9. Post purchase follow up spooky subject lines
The sale isn't over when the purchase is made. These subject lines nurture the customer relationship, encouraging repeat purchases and preparing them for future holidays.
- Happy Howl-oween! 🐶 Did you like your purchase?
- Your Halloween order has been shipped! Time to plan your next holiday look.
- Ready for the next big sale? Here’s an early sneak peek!
- Need tips for styling your new costume? Watch this.
- What's next after the tricks and treats? Early holiday savings!
- Thanks for shopping! Here's a coupon for your next fright.
- We hope your haunted home makeover is complete!
- How did we do? Tell us about your Halloween experience.
- Need to calm a sugar high? Here’s a detox guide.
- Celebrate the Mummy of the year!…
Related reading: 9 Best Post-Purchase Email Examples With Proven Retention
10. General & happy Halloween Subject Lines (Perfect for a newsletter)
These are less sales-driven and focus on broad seasonal greetings, company news, or content-based newsletters. They help maintain brand awareness without pushing a hard sell.
- Happy Halloween from the entire team! 🎃
- Your Halloween essentials: tips and tricks inside.
- Enjoy the treats! A festive hello from us.
- Is it too early to talk about Thanksgiving? No!
- A little bit of spooky fun to brighten your inbox.
- Wishing you a safe and fang-tastic holiday!
- Meet the team behind the costumes!
- Just a little something to start your Halloween weekend.
- Our favorite Halloween memories and recipes.
- Get ready for a boo-tiful month ahead.
Related Reading: 15 Best Email Marketing Examples for 2025
Top 5 tips to write Spooky Halloween subject lines
Writing a killer Halloween email subject line is a mix of creativity and strategy. The best ones evoke the holiday spirit while clearly communicating value.
Here are the top 5 tips to make your subject lines terrifyingly effective:
- Leverage Halloween theme keywords
- Create urgency with "witching hour" FOMO
- Add emojis for visual pop
- Personalize the scare (where appropriate)
- Keep it concise and mobile-friendly
Related reading: 10 Email Frequency Best Practices For 2025
1. Leverage Halloween theme keywords
Use the holiday-specific vocabulary that readers are actively looking for. These words immediately set the festive tone and increase curiosity.
- Action-oriented: Tricks, Treats, Costume, Candy, Haunt.
- Atmosphere: Spooky, Haunted, Wicked, Ghoulish, Screaming.
- Puns & playful terms: Boo, Fang-tastic, Witching, Spooktacular.
2. Create urgency with "witching hour" FOMO
Halloween provides a perfect, natural deadline. Use urgency-driven language to encourage immediate action.
- Use phrases like: Last Chance, Final Hours, Ends Tonight, or Don't Miss Out.
- Incorporate themed urgency: The Witching Hour Is Approaching, Don't Ghost This Sale, or Before They Vanish.
3. Add emojis for visual pop
In a crowded inbox, emojis like 👻, 🎃, 🕷, 🍬, or 🧛 make your subject line stand out instantly.
Use them to break up text and reinforce the holiday theme, but don't overdo it. One or two effective emojis are usually enough.
4. Personalize the scare (where appropriate)
A personalized subject line can significantly boost open rates. Use the customer's name or reference their past purchase behavior. For example, remind them about costumes or candy.
5. Keep it concise and mobile-friendly
Most people check their email on their phones. Keep your subject lines short and to the point (ideally under 50 characters).
Also, ensure the full message and the punchy Halloween theme are visible without being truncated.
Related reading: 10 Email Design Best Practices for 2025
5 AI Prompts to create Halloween-spirited subject lines
Don’t have time to browse a list? No worries. Use these carefully crafted prompts with your favorite AI tool, such as Gemini or ChatGPT.
Instantly generate dozens of Halloween email subject lines customized for your brand, product, and campaign goal.
1. The Pun-focused Halloween subject lines
Act as an experienced email copywriter and generate 15 Halloween email subject lines that are highly creative and pun-focused.
The subject lines must be suitable for a [niche industry]. Use words like witch, ghoul, fang, and boo-tiful. Include at least one emoji in each line.
2. Urgency and Halloween flash sale
Draft 10 subject lines for a Halloween Flash Sale that lasts only 24 hours. The goal is to drive urgency and FOMO. Make sure to mention a specific benefit (e.g., '50% off' or 'Free Treats') and use the phrase The Witching Hour.
This is our [niche industry]
The sale items are [ costumes, candies, etc ]
3. Cart abandonment recovery
Write 8 cart abandonment subject lines for a general e-commerce store during the Halloween season. Use playful haunted and ghosting themes to encourage the user to return. Keep all lines under 45 characters for mobile viewing.
4. Themed product drop announcement
Create 12 Halloween subject lines to announce a new line of spooky [home decor, candy, costumes]. Focus on the benefits of a haunted home makeover or dress to impress this Halloween style. Include a strong call to action
5. Post purchase follow up and nurture
Generate 7 post-purchase follow-up subject lines for customers who just bought candy and treats. The goal is to thank them and introduce an early bird special for the upcoming holiday shopping season. Avoid hard-selling.
Related reading: Post purchase SMS flow: Strategy, tips & templates
Funny & creative Halloween email sign-offs
Next to subject lines, your email sign-offs play an important role in making your brand memorable.
A great sign-off reflects your brand's personality while blending seamlessly with the Halloween-spirited email content.
Here are 5 unique and creative Halloween email sign-offs you can use:
1. Best for businesses with a fun, slightly eerie vibe.
Stay Spooky,
The Team at [Your Company Name]
2. Perfect for a personalized touch that hints at great deals or treats.
Wishing You a Wicked Good Day,
[Your Name] and the Treat Team
3. A pun fashion or retail businesses selling costumes.
Best Witches,
From the Costume Crew at [Your Company Name]
4. Sales or promotional emails
Sending Spooktacular Savings,
Your Friends at [Your Company Name] 🎃
5. Customer service or support emails
Happy Haunting,
We're Always Here to Help You (Don't Be Scared!)
Customize your restock alerts effortlessly using Retainful’s ready-to-use templates to land more sales.
🕸️ Wrapping up!!
And there you have it, over 100 Halloween email subject lines, creative AI prompts, and Halloween-themed sign-offs to make your 2025 campaigns unforgettable.
The secret to a high-performing Halloween email lies in balancing creativity with clarity.
Use humor, urgency, and a touch of personalization to capture attention and acquire customers while keeping your brand voice consistent.
Remember, your subject line is the first thing customers see; make it worth opening.
Also read:
- What is Behavioral Targeting? (Examples + How to do)
- What is Behavioral Segmentation? (Types + Examples)
- What is Targeted Email Marketing? Beginner’s Guide & Examples
Frequently asked questions
A catchy email subject line grabs attention instantly using curiosity, emotion, or urgency—encouraging the recipient to open your email.
You can say “Happy Halloween!” with a fun twist like “Wishing You a Spooktacular Halloween! 🎃” or “Have a Fang-tastic Halloween!”
Try names like “The Monster Mash Bash,” “Fright Night Fiesta,” or “Boo & Brews Party” to make it sound fun and memorable.
Use a clear and respectful subject line like “In Loving Memory of [Name]” or “Sad News About [Name].”
Keep them professional yet festive—like “Halloween Treats Await in the Break Room 🎃” or “Don’t Miss Our Office Costume Contest!”
Use humor and wordplay—like “Witch Better Have My Candy 🍬” or “Creep It Real with Our Halloween Deals!”
