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Happy Halloween, Eagle readers! Whether you're going out trick-or-treating tonight, handing out candy, or sitting inside with your own bowl of candy (hey, no judgement!) tonight is all about the candy!
Are you one of the legendary houses that hand out full size candy bars? Do you think you know what the goblins and ghouls are after? Read on to see how your candy of choice ranks in our official source for all things candy: CandyStore.com.
Berkshire County trick-or-treat hours
Cities and towns have announced trick-or-treat hours or alternative activities.
Why do we hand out candy on Halloween?
Going door to door, dressed up as a cartoon character at dusk in search of sweets in the colder months certainly seems like an odd tradition ... Why do we do this?
It's hard to pinpoint one original source for the holiday, but the strongest traces can be identified in "ancient Celtic festivals, early Roman Catholic holidays, medieval practices and even British politics," according to History.com.
Let's go back 2,000 years ago, to the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France. It was here that the Celts celebrated Samhain (pronounced sah-win). This was a pre-Christian Celtic festival celebrated at the end of October and early November to pay homage to the dead, as many believed the dead could return to visit the living as ghosts. Family would leave food and wine outside on the doorstep as offerings or to keep bad spirits from entering the home, and if anyone needed to leave the house, they would dress up as a ghost or wear animal pelts and hides to not be bothered by the spirits.
In America, trick-or-treating dates back to the 1930s and early 1940s. According to History.com, children would receive homemade cookies, pieces of cake, fruit, nuts, coins and/ or toys. Individually wrapped candy didn't hit the markets until about 1970 to meet a safety concern of parents. They feared that the homemade treats might be tampered with, and preferred factory-sealed, store bought treats. This is likely why parents are notoriously concerned with checking Halloween candy for signs of tampering, but rightly so.
So what kind of candy should you buy for your neighborhood gremlins and witches? Here's what the experts say...
All information below was compiled by CandyStore.com from 16 years of bulk candy sales data. These findings are not based on the opinions of the company but rather from surveys from over 12,000 customers and input from other blogs in an effort to find the preferences of Halloween enthusiasts to create "the ultimate candy hierarchy." Read more below!
Who is buying candy and how much are they spending?
- Since 2011, candy sales have topped over 2 billion dollars.
- 172 million Americans celebrate Halloween.
- Among those who celebrate, 96 percent will purchase candy.
- The average amount spent on Halloween candy is $31.93.
- This year, sales have reached $3.6 billion.
Most popular Halloween candy in the U.S.
Like it or not, here's what most houses are handing out on Halloween night. Actually, we'll gladly take the majority of these.
10. Snickers
9. Hershey mini bars
8. Candy Corn
7. Hershey Kisses
6. Starburst
5. Sour Patch Kids
4. Skittles
3. Hot Tamales
2. M&M's
1. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Top 10 best Halloween Candy in U.S.
This is what trick-or-treaters are hoping to get in their candy bags. Is this what you're handing out?
10. Butterfinger
9. Twix
8. Kit Kat
7. Hershey bar
6. Sour Patch Kids
5. Skittles
4. Hot Tamales
3. Snickers
2. M&M’s
1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
Most popular candy in each state
Below is a map that shows the most popular candy in each state. In Massachusetts, the most popular candy is Butterfinger, followed by Sour Patch Kids in second place and Double Bubble Bubble Gum in third. Desktop users can hover over each state to learn more.
Source: CandyStore.com.
Do you like candy corn?
Candy Corn is a classic Halloween staple, but candy-lovers are divided on whether or not this particular treat is delicious or disgusting ... what do you think?
You voted:
Top 10 worst Halloween Candy in U.S.
Here's what trick-or-treaters do not want to come home with. More of a trick than a treat. Save these for the gingerbread village in December.
10. Tootsie Roll
9. Bit-O-Honey
8. Black licorice
7. Smarties
6. Mary Jane
5. Wax Cola Bottles
4. Peanut Butter Kisses
3. Necco Wafers
2. Candy Corn
1. Circus Peanuts
What do you think? Did your favorite candy make any of these lists?
