Halloween Survey 2023 — Results

Here are the results from our Halloween Survey 2023. Thank you to all who participated!

Will you celebrate Halloween this year? 

• Yes (71%)
• No (29%)

 

Are you a parent or a non-parent?

• Parent (56%)
• Non-parent (44%)

 

(if “parent”) Do you steal candy from your kid’s Halloween haul?

• Yes (63%)
• No (37%)

 

(if “parent”) Do you limit how much candy your child consumes on Halloween night? 

• Yes (67%)
• No (33%)

 

Do you decorate your home for Halloween? 

• Yes (57%)
• No (43%)

 

(if “yes”) How much do you spend on Halloween decorations?

• Less than $50 (42%)
• $50 to $100 (31%)
• $101 to $200 (19%)
• $201 to $300 (4%)
• More than $300 (4%)

 

How much do you spend on candy for trick-or-treaters?

• Less than $25 (55%)
• $25 to $50 (30%)
• $51 to $100 (12%)
• $101 to $200 (2%)
• More than $200 (1%)

 

When trick-or-treaters are out, do you answer the door if someone rings or pretend you’re not home?

• I answer it (75%)
• I pretend that I’m not home (25%)

 

Compared to last year, are you spending more or less money on Halloween candy?

• About the same (64%)
• Less (19%)
• More (17%)

 

(if “no”) Why are you spending less money on candy this year? (select all that apply)

• I don’t get a lot of trick-or-treaters (66%)
• Candy prices have gone up due to inflation (50%)
• So I’m less tempted to eat the candy myself (21%)

 

This year, what will you spend the most money on during Halloween? (select all that apply)

• Sweets for trick-or-treating (46%)
• Costumes (30%)
• Decorations (26%)
• Fall activities [apple picking, etc.] (26%)
• Pumpkins (22%)
• Other (11%)
• Haunted attractions (10%)
• Parties [i.e. ticketed events] (8%)

 

Where do you shop for costumes? (select all that apply)

• Amazon (46%)
• Walmart (33%)
• Target (28%)
• Other (30%)
• Spirit Halloween/Speciality store (26%)
• Party City (15%)
• Etsy (5%)

 

When do you start shopping for Halloween?

• Early October (38%)
• During September (31%)
• Before September (13%)
• The week of Halloween (12%)
• The day before Halloween (5%)

 

Favorite Halloween traditions? (select all that apply)

• Trick-or-treating (52%)
• Dressing up (42%)
• Decorating the house (40%)
• Carving pumpkins (38%)
• Watching scary movies (31%)
• Going to Halloween parties (23%)
• Going to haunted houses/hayrides (22%)
• Other (11%)
• Bobbing for apples (4%)

 

Do you give out full-/king-size candy bars?

• No (80%)
• Yes (20%)

 

Do you give out something other than candy to trick-or-treaters? 

• No (76%)
• Yes (24%)

 

(if “yes”) What do you give trick-or-treaters other than candy? (select all that apply)

• Snacks — potato chips, popcorn, pretzels, etc. (55%)
• Toys — glow sticks, temporary tattoos, stickers, bubbles, etc. (54%)
• Spooky accessories — vampire teeth, spider rings, etc. (32%)
• School supplies — pencils, erasers, notepad, etc. (30%)
• Fruit/healthy snack — raisins, apples, etc. (30%)
• Drinks — soda, juice, etc. (16%)
• Coupons — ex: Wendy’s Frosty Coupons (14%)
• Money (11%)
• Other (6%)

 

How long does it take you to finish all of your Halloween candy?

• Within a few weeks (25%)
• Within a week (22%)
• Within a few months (21%)
• Within a month (18%)
• I have it all year long. (14%)

 

Do you really “take one” or do you take more than one/all of the candy?

• I really “take one” (67%)
• I take more than one (31%)
• I take all of the candy (2%)

 

Do you make or buy your costumes? 

• Buy (66%)
• Make it myself/DIY (34%)

 

How many costumes do you plan to have this year?

• I don’t plan on dressing up this year. (43%)
• One (38%)
• Two (13%)
• Three or more (5%)

 

Do you wear the same costume every year/most years?

• No (77%)
• Yes (23%)

 

In your opinion, which of the following are the most overused Halloween costumes? (select up to 2 responses)

• Witch (44%)
• Devil/Angel (30%)
• Skeleton (24%)
• Cat (18%)
• Nurse (16%)
• Pumpkin (11%)
• Pirate (10%)
• Cowboy/Cowgirl (6%)

 

Favorite Halloween candy? (select all that apply)

• Reese’s (58%)
• Kit Kats (48%)
• M&M’s (43%)
• Snickers (42%)
• Twix (39%)
• Milky Way (28%)
• Almond Joy (27%)
• Three Musketeers (20%)
• Skittles (19%)
• Sour Patch Kids (17%)
• Tootsie Rolls (15%)
• Candy Corn (13%)
• Swedish Fish (13%)

 

Least favorite Halloween candy? (select all that apply)

• Candy Corn (44%)
• Swedish Fish (33%)
• Sour Patch Kids (31%)
• Tootsie Rolls (30%)
• Almond Joy (23%)
• Skittles (20%)
• Three Musketeers (13%)
• Milky Way (9%)
• Reese’s (8%)
• Snickers (7%)
• Kit Kats (6%)
• Twix (5%)
• M&M’s (4%)

 

What candy do you refuse to share?

• Reese’s (27%)
• Snickers (12%)
• Kit Kats (11%)
• Almond Joy (10%)
• Twix (9%)
• M&M’s (8%)
• Milky Way (5%)
• Three Musketeers (4%)
• Sour Patch Kids (4%)
• Candy Corn (3%)
• Skittles (3%)
• Swedish Fish (3%)
• Tootsie Rolls (3%)

 

Do you like candy corn?

• No (56%)
• Yes (44%)

 

What do you think the most popular costume will be this year?

• Barbie/Ken (71%)
• Wednesday Addams (9%)
• The Little Mermaid (5%)
• Mario/Luigi (5%)
• The Eras Tour/Taylor Swift (3%)
• Spiderman (7%)

 

Favorite Halloween movie? (select all that apply)

• ‘It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ (32%)
• ‘Hocus Pocus’ (31%)
• ‘Beetlejuice’ (24%)
• ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (21%)
• ‘The Addams Family’ (19%)
• ‘Casper the Friendly Ghost’ (14%)
• ‘Friday the 13th’ (13%)
• ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ (13%)
• ‘Halloweentown’ [Disney Channel Original Movie] (10%)

 

The survey polled a cross-section of 1315 adults, aged 18 and over.