Patty Craig: A Slice of Time

Wed, 10/31/2012 - 8:04am — Diane Dyer

Halloween has once again arrived! Many enjoy typical Halloween activities such as trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, visiting haunted attractions, and watching horror films. And, many of us eat too much candy – even when we’re supposed to be giving it to the little trick-or-treaters.

Several industries benefit from Halloween. For example, in 2010, 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins were produced in the U.S (USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service). In 2009, 1,177 U.S. manufacturing establishments produced chocolate and cocoa products, employing 34,252 people, and 409 U.S. establishments manufactured non-chocolate confectionary products, employing 16,974 people (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: 2009). Halloween helps to stimulate our economy.

The following table shows the results of a Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey for 2008-2012:

Question	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
Total Amount Consumers Planned to Spend For the Halloween Holiday Overall	$5.77 billion	$4.75 billion	$5.80 billion	$6.86 billion	$8.0 billion
Total Amount Consumers Planned to Spend for Halloween Costumes	$2.10 billion	$1.75 billion	$2.05 billion	$2.52 billion	$2.87 billion
Total Amount Consumers Planned to Spend for Halloween Candy	$1.77 billion	$1.52 billion	$1.78 billion	$2.00 billion	$2.33 billion
Total Amount Consumers Planned to Spend for Halloween Decorations	$1.58 billion	$1.23 billion	$1.63 billion	$1.88 billion	$2.33 billion
Total Amount Consumers Planned to Spend for Halloween Greeting Cards	$0.32 billion	$0.25 billion	$0.35 billion	$0.47 billion	$0.59 billion
Percentage of Consumers Who Planned to Celebrate Halloween or Participate in Halloween Activities	64.5%	62.1%	63.8%	68.6%	71.5%

(Source: http://retailindustry.about.com/od/statisticsresearch/a/Halloween-Spendi...). I was amazed by these numbers.

Although Halloween is definitely commercialized, I believe it’s about having some fun. And, I want my grandchildren to have happy memory associated with it. Last Saturday, I hope we made a happy holiday connection. Eighteen of my clan members met at my mom’s for breakfast. Afterward, the little ones dressed in their costumes, walked from the back door to the front door of her house, and when the door was opened, excitedly shouted, “Trick or treat!” My mom, their great-grandmother, passed out previously-bagged candy, admired their costumes, and posed for pictures with the little trick-or-treaters, as everyone else looked on. I think the adults enjoyed the morning as much as the children did – good company, easy conversation, and good food.

Halloween is a day for fun. So, as I watch for those little trick-or-treaters, I may be eating candy. As Barbara Bush once said, “…life must…have joy. It’s supposed to be fun.”

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