Will the economy dampen your Halloween plans?

Most adults in the US, 1 in 1.57, or 63.8% plan to celebrate Halloween this year doing a variety of activities. People report they will cutback on spending due to the state of the US economy. However planned expenditures per adult are actually increasing from $56.31 in 2009 to $68.21 in 2010, an 18% increase, but about the same as spending level as in 2008.

The popularity of celebrating Halloween among adults (18 and over) has been increasing steadily, from 1 in 1.9 (52.5%) in 2005 to 1 in1.61 (62.1%) in 2010. Halloween is equally popular among men and woman, but more popular among the young. Adults 18-24 are the most enthusiastic about Halloween with the odds 1 in 1.21(82.9%). The odds decline slightly to 1 in 1.25 (80.1%) for adults 25 -34. Plans decline steadily with age and less than half, 1 in 2.56 (39.1%) of those 65 and older

The most popular Halloween activity is handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, with 1 in 1.39 (72.2%) of adults in America who plan to celebrate Halloween doing so. Half of adults celebrate Halloween by decorating their homes or yards (1 in 2.00), 1 in 2.75 (36.3%) carving a pumpkin, and 1 in 3.2 taking their children trick or treating. Adults won't leave all the fun to children. Of those who plan to celebrate Halloween, 1 in 3 (33.3%) plan to throw or attend a party, and 1 in 2.49 (40.1%) say they will wear a costume. That's about 59.4 million adult costume-wearers and the odds are the same for men and women celebrants.

In 2010, the dress-up preferences of American adults ranged from the traditional to fictional characters. The popularity of particular costumes has changed over time among adults who dress up for Halloween and had a particular costume in mind. The perennial favorite, a witch, is still the most popular among adults at 1 in 8.77 (11.4%). The 2010 odds have declined compared with 2006, 2007, and 2008, when the odds an adult who planned to dress up for Halloween and had a particular costume in mind would go as a witch were 1 in 5.71, 1 in 5.92, and 1 in 6.71, respectively. This year, an adult is 185% more likely than someone younger than 18 to intend to masquerade as a Halloween witch. That's 4.98 million adult witches compared to 1.78 million child witches.

Children are more influenced by popular movies and TV shows than adults in the choice of costume. The odds are 1 in 9.71 (10.3%) a child with a particular costume in mind will dress as a princess (general) and 1 in 35.7 as a Disney® Princess. The odds are 1 in 23.8 (4.2%) a child with a costume in mind will dress as Spider-Man®. The odds a child with a costume in mind will dress as a witch are 1 in 25 (4.0%).

Not to be forgotten, the odds are 1 in 9.6 an adult who celebrates Halloween plans to dress his/her pet(s) in costume - that's 17.1 million adults and an even higher number of pets. Adults appear to plan ahead more for their pets than children with 80.4% of adults decided on his/her pet's costume but only 74% had decided on their own costume and only 70% of their children's at the time the survey was taken in September. Pets will be wearing more traditional costumes, with the odds 1 in 9.7 (10.3%) of those whose costumes are known dressing as a pumpkin, 1 in 10.3 (9.7%) dressing as a devil, and 1 in 19.6 (5.1%) dressing as the perennial favorite, the witch.