Description: SCP-2523 is a phenomenon affecting seasonal Halloween costuming and decoration stores in the US and Canada from sunset on October 31st to sunset on November 1st. It is restricted to stores which are entirely seasonal, and does not affect Halloween displays in more permanent businesses.

The affected locations remain open for the full 24-hour period regardless of posted hours. At sunset, four to six entities (designated SCP-2523-1) will appear and relieve all employees. Entities are diminutive humanoids (estimated to be between 0.8 and 1.2 meters in height) with a variety of chimerical features from various vertebrates, as well as limbs and extremities that vary in proportion (see Appendix A: SCP-2523-1 for additional detail). These entities carry out routine retail operations, except for attempting to persuade customers to make non-monetary exchanges. At the end of this 24-hour period they are relieved by scheduled human employees who typically begin closing the store for the season.

Exposed persons will rationalize all anomalous properties of SCP-2523, including those of trades, entities, and objects originating from the anomaly, as entirely normal experiences. This effect extends to direct conversation with affected persons as well as photographs and other direct recordings. This is an antimemetic effect that Class W amnestic treatment combined with conscious reaffirmation of observed details has been demonstrated to neutralize.