Survey: Halloween isn't scary anymore

When trick-or-treaters come to your door, do you let them pick whatever candy they want from your bowl of goodies?

If so, you're in the minority. Only one out of every five people do.

That's one of the statistics in the Halloween Holiday Profile Report, released last week by Rosemont-based market research company, NPD Group.

Some other interesting Halloween stats in the report:

• Hardly anyone finds Halloween "scary," and one out of every three people thinks Halloween is a "cute fall holiday."

Thought: Halloween isn't scary compared to what's happening in the world today.

• 82 percent of people hand out mini or bite-sized candy bars to trick-or-treaters.

Thought: Kids know exactly which houses hand out lame treats.

• About 25 percent of people run out of treats on Halloween, and they don't always head to the store to replenish. Sometimes they turn off the lights and don't answer the door, or they give away the candy their children collected.

Thought: Technically, can't they perform tricks instead?

• One in four people bake for Halloween.

Thought: Not in this office.

• Halloween is most popular with ages 2-12. When a child turns 10, trick-or-treating begins to decline - and sharp declines in participation occur during the teen years.

Thought: But the amount of egg-throwing and TPing goes up proportionately.

• Forty percent of people who carve a pumpkin use a kit. Thirty-two percent roast the seeds.

Thought: We estimate that 31 percent get distracted and end up burning them.

• Nearly eight of 10 Americans participate in at least one Halloween activity. The top two activities are giving out candy and eating it.

Thought: Number three is likely getting sick from eating too much candy.