What's REALLY Scary About Halloween: The Volume of Candy Given Away & Other Halloween Statistics
by www.SixWise.com
If it seems like fewer trick-or-treaters are banging on your
door each Halloween, you're right. In 2004, some 381,000 fewer
ghosts and goblins partook in the childhood ritual than in
2003, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Still, 36.4 million
kids between the ages of 5 and 13 did go trick-or-treating
on Halloween 2004, and that doesn't even include those under
and over the age range in the study.
![halloween](/images/articles/2006/10/18/30401205[1].thb.jpg)
Sixty-four percent of Americans are expected to celebrate
Halloween this year.
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Though trick-or-treating may be slightly down, the spirit
of Halloween is bigger than ever.
"Consumers see Halloween as a seasonal celebration to
bridge the gap between the end of summer and the winter holidays,"
said Tracy Mullin, president and CEO of the National Retail
Federation (NRF). "Halloween offers a little something
for everyone and, this year, people of all ages will be joining
in the fun."
Almost 64 percent of consumers are expected to celebrate
Halloween this year, up from 52.5 percent in 2005, according
to the NRF's Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey. How will
Americans be celebrating?
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Handing out candy (73.4%)
-
Dressing in costume (34%)
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Visiting a haunted house (17.2%)
Halloween's Not Just for Kids Anymore
Schoolchildren are not the only ones that will be planning
their costumes this year. Over 85 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds
also plan to celebrate the spooky holiday in 2006, along with
77 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds, and 71 percent of 35 to
44-year-olds.
"Halloween has especially exploded among young adults
who are celebrating with large parties and elaborate costumes,
driving spending and bringing good news for retailers,"
said Phil Rist, vice president of strategy for BIGresearch,
which conducted the NRF survey. "With the holiday falling
on a Tuesday this year, young adults may begin participating
in Halloween activities the weekend before and spend several
days celebrating."
Halloween Spending Reaches Nearly $5 Billion
In 2006, consumers are expected to spend nearly $5 billion
on Halloween celebrations, up from just over $3 billion in
2005. Per person, the average consumer is expected to spend
nearly $60 for Halloween this year.
What is all this spending going toward? As Halloween is the
second-biggest decorating holiday after Christmas, decorations
will certainly account for some. Some 67 percent of Americans
plan to buy Halloween decorations this year, and close to
half will be decorating their home or yard. Further, consumers
are expected to spend about $22 each on finding the perfect
Halloween costume.
What About the Candy?
![halloween candy](/images/articles/2006/10/18/23275661[1].thb.gif)
Traditional costumes are still the favorites when it
comes to dressing up. The number one costume for kids
in 2005 was a princess, for adults, a witch.
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Candy, it seems, is still at the center of many Halloween
celebrations, with 96 percent of Americans planning to purchase
Halloween candy this year. Americans ate about 25 pounds of
candy each in 2004, and the U.S. Census Bureau believes a
large portion of this is consumed around Halloween.
Looking for some healthier options to hand out to trick-or-treaters
this year (that won't cause your house to get t.p'd)? Try
these:
-
Crystallized ginger
-
Chocolate-covered raisins or almonds (Almond M&M's
also work)
-
Small dark-chocolate bars
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Naturally sweetened gummi bears and licorice (sweetened
with fruit juice or cane sugar, not corn syrup)
-
Fruit leather (made from 100-percent fruit)
-
Granola bars
Most Popular Halloween Costumes for 2006
Both kids and adults (34 percent of them, anyway) are expected
to dress up this Halloween. The most popular costumes are
still the traditional ones.
"Classic costumes will always remain Halloween favorites,
despite the draw by many kids to dress as their favorite modern-day
heroes," Mullin said. Here's a breakdown of the top 10
costumes for kids and adults in 2005:
2005 Top Costumes
Kids
- Princess
- Witch
- Spiderman
- Monster
- Darth Vader
- Superhero
- Star Wars Character
- Batman
- Ninja
- Clown
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2005 Top Costumes
Adults
- Witch
- Vampire
- Actor/Famous Person
- Monster
- Pirate
- Angel
- Clown
- Ghost/Ghoul
- Zombie
- Renaissance Costume
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And this year, don't forget to include Sparky and Snowball
in the fun. Costumes exist for dogs, cats and even birds,
and, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers
Association, over 3.5 million Americans are expected to buy
Halloween products for their pets this year -- a huge increase
from the 1 million who did so in 2002.
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Sources
The
National Retail Federation
U.S.
Census Bureau
Post-Gazette.com
September 27, 2006