Halloween Fun Facts

Halloween, which dates back to Celtic rituals thousands of years ago, has long been associated with images of witches, ghosts and vampires. Today, Halloween has evolved into a celebration characterized by child-friendly activities, such as costumes, trick-or-treating and carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns.

Trick or Treat!

41.2 million The estimated number of potential trick-or-treaters in 2013 — children age 5 to 14 — across the U.S. Of course, many other children — older than 14 and younger than 5 — also go trick-or-treating.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates, PEPASR6H
<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPASR6H>

115 million Number of occupied housing units across the nation in first quarter 2014 — all potential stops for trick-or-treaters. 
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership, Table 8 <http://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/data/histtabs.html>

93.3%Percentage of households with residents who considered their neighborhood safe in 2011. In addition, 79.5 percent said there was no place within a mile of their homes where they would be afraid to walk alone at night.  
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States, 2011, <http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p70-136.pdf>

Hauntingly Delicious

1,333Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced chocolate and cocoa products in 2012, employing 37,150 employees. This industry's value of shipments totaled $14.4 billion, up slightly from $14.1 billion in 2007. 
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Economic Census, NAICS 2012: 311351, 311352 and 2007: 311320, 311330
<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/00A1//naics~311351%7C311352>, <http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2007_US/00A1//naics~311320%7C311330>

439Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced nonchocolate confectionary products, employing 19,141 employees. This industry's value of shipments totaled $8.0 billion in 2012.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Economic Census, NAICS 311340
<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/00A1//naics~311340>

Dressed to ThrillA sampling of occupations that one may dress up as for a Halloween costume:

Occupation	Number of Full-Time,
	Year-Round Employees
Athletes, coaches, umpires and related workers	114,456
Bailiffs, correctional officers and jailers	387,955
Dentists	97,562
Detectives and criminal investigators	117,375
Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers	499,775
Firefighters	256,196
Police and sheriff's patrol officers	623,338
Registered nurses	2,061,647

More Tips to Protect Your Property This Halloween

Halloween can be scary but having the right insurance coverage can take some of the fright out of the night, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

"If you're worried about Halloween partyers who may cause damage to your home, there's probably little to fear," said Michael Barry, vice president, Media Relations, I.I.I. "But do contact your insurance professional with questions or concerns about your homeowners or renters insurance policy."

Your insurance policies provide financial protection for a host of disasters whether they occur on Halloween, which falls this year on Friday, or any other day.

The I.I.I. points out that standard homeowners and renters insurance will provide coverage for the following.

• Vandalism
  In the event your home or your personal possessions are damaged by neighborhood tricksters, homeowners and renters insurance policies provide coverage for vandalism and malicious mischief. You are on your own, however, when it comes to removing the toilet paper from your front yard….
• Fire
  If a jack-o-lantern, or other decoration, goes up in flames and damages your property, your homeowners or renters policy will cover fire-related losses. And, should the blaze make your home uninhabitable, additional living expenses (ALE) coverage will pay for alternate accommodations, such as a hotel, while your home is being repaired.
• Injuries 
  The liability portion of a homeowners or renters policy comes into play if a Halloween party guest, or a trick-or-treater is injured while at your house or apartment. These policies also include no-fault medical coverage so the injured person can file their claim directly with your insurer.
  
  And if Fido gets a little skittish from all the commotion and accidentally nips a trick-or-treater your liability coverage includes damages or injuries caused by pets.

Of course, the best solution is to avoid trouble altogether. Check out Safe Kids Worldwide and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for helpful Halloween safety tips. 

Protect Your Property From Trick or Treat Tricksters

Pumpkins are an autumn staple, with uses ranging from jack-o'-lanterns to pies. However, Mercury Insurance reports that, in the wrong hands, pumpkins can lead to nothing but trouble, noting a substantial increase in property damage during the week of Halloween compared to an average week.

"Last year, we had nearly three percent more auto claims and five percent more homeowners claims during the week of Halloween, with our insureds reporting everything from egged and 'pumpkined' cars to creatively mummified homes," says Stephanie Behnke, claims innovation director of Mercury Insurance. "Although these may sound like harmless pranks, they can cause significant and costly damage, so taking some simple steps to protect your property is no joke."

Mercury Insurance offers the following tips to help keep you from falling victim to a Halloween trick:

Park in a garage or well-lit area when possible. Otherwise, consider installing motion detectors in your driveway to turn on lights when someone approaches. If you only have access to street parking, try to park near streetlamps.

Light your walkway. This can reduce the likelihood of vandalism to your home as well as increase visibility for costumed visitors who may have difficulty viewing the terrain.

Avoid parking in deserted areas. Vandals are less likely to do their dirty work out in the open, so park in well-populated areas whenever possible. If you're attending a Halloween party in an unfamiliar neighborhood, ask the host for recommendations on safe places to park.

Activate your alarm. Car alarms are loud and draw people's attention, so use them to deter vandals. 

Keep pets indoors. Some dogs and cats can become easily spooked by strangers or kids disguised in costumes and Halloweenattire. Keep pets inside – or in a separate part of your home if you're hosting a party – to keep them safe and prevent any ugly situations where a pet can bite or scratch a guest.

If your car is damaged, many acts of vandalism fall under comprehensive insurance, according to Behnke.

"Comprehensive insurance covers your vehicle if it's damaged due to something other than a collision," she says. "For example, if rowdy teens toss pumpkins out of windows or use cars for batting practice, remaining damages would be covered after you've paid your deductible, assuming you have comprehensive insurance at the time of the incident. Otherwise, you'll need to pay for everything on your own."

Before filing a claim:

• Call the police. Filing a report provides you with an official record of the incident and, hopefully, the police will be able to track down the offender. Don't attempt to move or clean any of the damaged items until the police arrive and retrieve necessary information and document the scene.
• Take photos of the damage.
• Contact your insurer. Report claims right away to your insurance company.

Keeping Kiddos Safe While Trick or Treating

On average, twice as many kids are killed while walking on Halloween than on any other day of the year. But a few simple precautions for kids and drivers can make the night fun and safe.

Safe Kids has joined together with FedEx® to promote pedestrian safety this Halloween. FedEx volunteers are teaming up with 159 local Safe Kids coalitions in towns and cities across the United States to provide reflective materials and safe walking information to parents and children.

"On Halloween, more children are on the street after dark than normal, and they are so excited that they may run out into the street without looking," said Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. "We're asking drivers to take extra care and slow down on neighborhood roads. And, of course, it's very important that drivers put down mobile devices to avoid distraction."

Parents can use glow sticks or reflective trick-or-treat bags to make sure their kids' costumes are visible to drivers while still being fun. And talk to your kids about watching out for cars. Kids should make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street and always try to use crosswalks, when possible.

Here are the top tips from Safe Kids and FedEx to keep kids safe on Halloween. 

Top safety tips for kids:

• Costumes can be both creative and safe. The most important thing is to make sure you can be seen by drivers. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. Masks can obstruct your vision, so choose non-toxic face paint and make-up whenever possible. Carry glow sticks or flashlights so you can see better, as well as be seen by drivers.
• Cross the street safely at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
• Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don't run, across the street.
• Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
• Slow down and stay alert. Watch out for cars that are turning or backing up and don't dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars.

Top safety tips for drivers:

• Slow down in residential neighborhoods. Remember that popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
• Be especially alert and take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Children are excited onHalloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Reduce any distractions inside your car, such as talking on the phone or eating, so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

In 1999, Safe Kids Worldwide and program sponsor FedEx launched the Walk This Way Program in the United States to educate motorists and child pedestrians and create safer, more walkable communities. Safe Kids and FedEx address the issue through research, physical improvements to school zones, and education and awareness campaigns throughout the year.

For more tips on how to help kids become safer pedestrians on Halloween, and throughout the year, visit www.safekids.org and visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/safekidsworldwide.

Top Halloween Costumes for 2014

This year, the costume mania award goes to . . . Hollywood! The frenzy over Walt Disney Pictures' 2013 film Frozen has continued well into 2014. Data released by SLI Systems (SLI.NZ), a worldwide e-commerce acceleration provider for mid- to large-size Internet retailers and B2B sites worldwide, found consumers conducted over one million site searches this Halloween season for Frozen-related queen, princess and snowman characters, making it the most-searched category in the study. Other popular films, including Paramount Pictures' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT), Despicable Me's "Minions," Maleficent, and Book of Life also saw activity making 2014's Top 15 List.

SLI studied site search activity across 17 costume retailer websites based in the U.S., UK and Australia, analyzing a total of more than 80 million consumer searches taking place between Sept 1 and Oct 26, 2013 and between Sept 1 and Oct 26, 2014. Combined, the e-commerce sites studied have monthly revenue of approximately $20M.

"Our data team compared the most popular site search terms across costume retailer e-commerce sites using our Learning Searchservice during the 2013 and 2014 Halloween seasons," said Shaun Ryan, CEO, SLI Systems. "Disney's Frozen-themed costume searches simply 'freeze out' all competition, including Paramount's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT), in Halloween 2014. In fact, 'Frozen' received 122% more search activity than 'TMNT' this year, and nearly 160% more search activity than any movie in 2013 – the most popular film-related costume search being 'Batman' in 2013."

The Top 15 Most-Searched Costume Themes of 2014, in order:
(seven are movie themes)

1.    Frozen – 1,192,000 (includes searches Elsa, Olaf & other characters)
2.    Zombie – 863,000 
3.    Ninja – 863,000 
4.    Pirate – 796,000 
5.    Clown – 659,000
6.    Witch – 588,000
7.    Vampire – 565,000 
8.    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (TMNT) – 536,000
9.    Book of Life – 308,000 (includes searches for "day of the dead")
10.  Flapper – 277,000
11.  Batman – 251,000
12.  Despicable Me – 233,000 (78% of related searches for minion characters)
13.  Maleficent – 227,000
14.  Monster High – 206,000
15.  Star Wars – 148,000

Additional findings from the Halloween study include:

• Frozen-related costume searches in 2014 received 38% more search activity than the #2 theme of zombie and nearly 160% more search activity than any film in 2013.
• Costumes with film- and branded-toy relevance made the Top Ten 2013 list (but none made Top Five): Batman (461,000), Despicable Me/minion (441,000) & Monster High (405,000).
• The top three most popular searches in 2013 were: pirate (873,000), zombie (828,000) and ninja (706,000).

Children's Teeth Tops Parents' Halloween Concerns, According to New Survey

This Halloween more than two-thirds of parents say they are concerned about their children's teeth; far more than those who are concerned about stomachaches, costume choices and nightmares. With more than 80 percent of parents saying their kids will participate in a Halloween celebration this year, and with cavities being a top concern, theKids' Healthy Mouths campaign is celebrating National Brush Day® on November 1st to reiterate the importance of brushing for two minutes, twice a day every day.

National Brush Day® is an ongoing initiative celebrated on November 1st on behalf of the Kids' Healthy Mouths campaign, which was initially launched by The Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives and the Ad Council in August 2012. Kids' Healthy Mouthsrecently announced a new series of PSAs, created pro bono by ad agency Grey New York, which feature humorous depictions of life lessons which make the point that while parenting can be tricky at times, getting kids to brush for two minutes, twice a day can be easier than many other things parents will try to teach their children.

"National Brush Day® is a wonderful time to remind parents about the importance of their children's oral health, especially after a candy-heavy holiday like Halloween," said campaign spokesperson, and former host of E! News, Kristina Guerrero. "This will be my son Mateo's second Halloween and first ever National Brush Day®. It is crucial to instill good dental habits early in life and it's great to have a day dedicated to spreading the word about getting kids to brush for two minutes, twice a day."

To take part in National Brush Day®, parents and caregivers can join the Kids' Healthy Mouths communities and share new campaign images on Facebook and Twitter (@brush2min2x). In addition to an extensive public relations and social media campaign, Kids' Healthy Mouths is kicking off its first video contest leveraging Zooppa.com, the world's leading crowd sourced marketing platform for producing creative content. The contest will encourage amateur and professional video makers to create videos showing how difficult it is to teach a child something if a parent only has two minutes, leveraging the campaign strategy and using the hashtag #BrushRules. 

"We are so excited to see the continued success of this extraordinary campaign," said Ad Council CEO, Peggy Conlon, "This campaign truly exemplifies the power of advertising to impact attitudes and behaviors and National Brush Day® is an ideal time to remind parents about children's oral health."

Parents are also encouraged to visit the campaign website, 2min2x.org where parents and children can watch entertaining videos–all 2 minutes in length–while brushing their teeth. Campaign media partners, including Cartoon Network and myKaZootv, donated snippets of videos for the site.

"Seventy five percent of parents report that their child sometimes or frequently forgets to brush his or her teeth," said Gary Price, Secretary and CEO of the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation. "We need all parents to get involved in National Brush Day® so we can instill lifelong habits in children that will continue throughout their lives."

As an extension of the campaign, the Ad Council also recently launched a mobile program in-house on behalf of Kids' Healthy Mouths that will engage parents and their kids in a fun and creative brushing challenge that supports the campaign's main goal of encouraging parents to make sure their children brush their teeth for two minutes, twice a day. Users will meet the voice of the program, "Joy," who will help brand and personalize the texter's experience. The campaign also includes a mobile gaming app called "Toothsavers" which has received over 120,000 downloads since January of 2014.

Since its launch in 2012, more than 1.7 million people have visited 2min2x.org and the English and Spanish-language PSAs have received more than $64 million in donated media across TV, radio, print, web and outdoor outlets. Additionally, a 2013 Ad Council survey showed that in one year, English-speaking parents reported that their children were significantly more likely to brush twice a day (55 percent in 2013, up from 48 percent in 2012) and significantly more likely to brush for two minutes each time (64 percent in 2013, up from 60 percent in 2012). Spanish-speaking parents report improvement as well, with an increase in those saying that their child brushes at least twice a day (66 percent in 2013, up from 63 percent in 2012) and significantly more reporting their kids are brushing for two minutes (77 percent in 2013, up from 69 percent in 2012).

For more information about the Kids' Healthy Mouths campaign, visit 2min2x.org and follow the campaign's social media communities on Facebook and Twitter (@brush2min2x).

The Ad Council's survey was conducted by LightSpeed Research in September 2014. The nationally representative online survey included 600 parents with children 0-12.

Alternatives to Candy for Ghosts and Goblins

Everyone loves sugar – and it's no wonder. Sugar is more addictive than cocaine," says Dr. Frank King, an Asheville, N.C., doctor of naturopathy and chiropractic. "We hand out candy at Halloween as if it's harmless. Would we give our kids cigarettes?"

"If parents understand the problems associated with sugar, their whole family can be healthier," he says. "With one third of our youth overweight or obese, we cannot keep pretending empty, artificially flavored and colored, addictive calories are okay."

Obesity, even in young people, is linked with high blood pressure and higher risk of cardiovascular disease, a fact Professor Peter Schwandt reported to the 2014 European Society of Cardiology Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

"Sugar consumption is also linked to hyperactive behavior, fatty liver and diabetes," King says, "and it feeds Candida albicans, a yeast-like fungus that can cause numerous health problems."

King explains that sugar causes the pancreas to spike its insulin output. "Surprisingly," he says, "non-calorie sweeteners are no better, since the pancreas is tricked into thinking sugar is present, and it responds in the same way. In fact, research suggests that diet sodas may actually cause people to gain weight, not lose it."

"Sugar also lowers the immune system for hours after ingestion," King says. "When your kids want a sweet treat, offer a small bunch of fresh grapes or an apple."

Parents may not be able to change old habits overnight, but they can gradually remove sugary foods from their family's diet, and teach children that sugar is not their friend.

King recommends these creative Halloween alternatives to candy:

1. Play-Doh
2. Bubbles
3. Bouncy balls
4. Yo-yos
5. Stickers

"Abundant health is the goal," King encourages. "Overcoming the sugar habit is easier when people simply enhance what I call the eight essential areas of life (nutrition, nature, fitness, sleep, the human spirit, hands-on techniques, water, and relationships). Saying 'no' to sugar will reap tremendous rewards."

Cutting Edge Haunted House Teams Up With Cook Children's in Fort Worth

Fort Worth - Fort Worth, TX is hosting a Cook Children's benefit night on Friday September 26th where proceeds from ticket sales will go to benefit children with life threatening illnesses. CEO, Todd James, found it to be a no-brainer when presented the opportunity to help families in need of financial assistance with medical treatments that help save and improve the lives of children in need.  Todd quotes, "Running a successful entertainment business can be difficult at times, but when we all slow down and look at what challenges many families face who have children with life threatening illnesses, it is truly our honor to donate in hopes to have a positive impact on their lives."

One of the world's largest haunted houses located in

Cutting Edge Haunted House one of the top haunts in the nation year after year as selected by Guinness World Records, Haunted House Ratings.com, Hauntworld Magazine, AOL, Yahoo, the Wall Street Journal, US Airways Magazine, Fangoria Magazine, USATravel Guide and dozens of other media sources.

About Cutting Edge Haunted House
Cutting Edge Haunted House is a non-gore Halloween attraction located in Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas filled with terrifying live actors, amazing special effects and incredible monsters. Celebrating its multi Guinness World Records, this intense, cutting edge, multi-story, multi-themed haunted house is widely considered to be one of the best Haunted Houses in the nation, full of chilling detail and unbelievable scares!  Visit www.cuttingedgehauntedhouse.com or call 817-675-7459 for more information. For photos and videos visit our Online Newsroom. http://screams.eventnewscenter.com 

About Cooks Children'sCook Children's serves over one million patient encounters each year and is one of the country's largest pediatric transport teams and one of only five neonatal transport teams accredited worldwide from the CAMTS.  They continuously strive to make miracles an everyday occurrence and ensure bright futures for their patients and families. www.cookschildrens.org http://www.cuttingedgehauntedhouse.com/

Tips for a Safe Halloween

Ghosts and goblins may not be the only things that are out to get you this Halloween. So, whether you're planning to hang spooky decorations from your front porch, carve pumpkins with the family or roam around your neighborhood to trick-or-treat with the kids, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and thePediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) urge you and your family to practice safety first.

Research from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) shows that during 2007-2013:

• Halloween was the holiday with the fifth highest number of emergency room visits among children 18 and younger presenting to U.S. emergency departments. (Holidays included New Year's Day,  Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Halloween,Thanksgiving and Christmas)
• Head injuries accounted for the greatest proportion of injuries on Halloween (17.2 percent)
• Of the finger/hand injuries sustained, 24.8 percent were lacerations
• Children under age 5 (28.9 percent) and children ages 10-14 (28.3 percent), sustained the greatest proportion of injuries.

EXPERT ADVICE

"Costumes, candy and scary monsters, tend to be top-of-mind for kids during Halloween, not falls and fractures," said pediatric orthopaedic surgeon and AAOS spokesperson John Gaffney, DO. "It's important for parents to establish clear boundaries with their kids and teach them safety tips to ensure they have a positive experience, rather than having to visit the emergency room."

SAFETY TIPS

The AAOS and POSNA offer the following Halloween safety tips: 

Trick-or-treating

• Walk on sidewalks and never cut across yards or driveways. Obey all traffic signals and remain in designated crosswalks when crossing the street.
• Costumes should be flame-resistant and fit properly. The child's vision should be unobstructed by masks, face paint or hats. Costumes that are too long may cause kids to trip and fall, so trim or hem them as necessary.
• Bright-colored costumes make it easier for children to be seen at dusk or in the dark. Add reflective tape to costumes and treat bags to provide additional visibility.
• Wear sturdy, comfortable, slip-resistant shoes to avoid falls.
• Trick-or-treaters should only approach houses that are well-lit.
• Both children and parents should carry flashlights to see and be seen. Do not point your flashlight above chest level to avoid obstructing the vision of other trick-or-treaters.
• Be aware of neighborhood dogs when trick-or-treating, and remember that pets can impose a threat when you approach their homes.
• Carry a cell phone while trick-or-treating in case of an emergency.

Pumpkin carving

• Use a pumpkin carving kit, or knives specifically designed for carving, since they are less likely to get stuck in the thick pumpkin skin. 
• Children should not carve pumpkins unless supervised closely by an adult. Some Halloween carving devices, designed especially for children, may be safe for use with parental supervision. Children also can empty the seeds out of the pumpkin, or use a pumpkin decorating kit.
• Always carve pumpkins in a clean, dry and well-lit area, and make sure there is no moisture on the carving tools or on your hands.
• If a pumpkin carver cuts him/herself, elevate the injured body part higher than the heart and apply direct pressure to the wound with a clean cloth. If continuous pressure does not slow or stop the bleeding after 15 minutes, or if the cut is deep, an emergency room visit may be necessary.
• Be considerate of fire hazards when lighting jack-o-lantern candles or use non-flammable light sources like glow sticks or artificial pumpkin lights.
• Never carve pumpkins while under the influence.

Ladder safety while hanging decorations

• Check the ladder for any loose screws, hinges or rungs.
• Never place a ladder on ground or flooring that is uneven.
• Place the ladder in well-lit areas and avoid tripping hazards such as loose electrical extension cords across walking paths.
• The highest standing level on a stepladder should be two steps down from the top.
• Make sure the soles of your shoes are clean so they do not cause you to slip off the ladder rungs. Do not wear leather-soled shoes because they can be slippery.
• It is always better to move the ladder than to overreach.
• Never climb a ladder without someone nearby who is able to spot you. 

Mix some spirits into your Halloween festivities with some spooky cocktails

Halloween is eerily close, and a haunting feeling is looming as costumes and parties are being planned down to the last creepy details of the spooky cocktails that will be served.

To help keep the spirited motif alive, WAVE Vodka has some bewitching cocktail recipes that will delight every wizard and goblin at the party, with its flavorful portfolio.

"The variety of flavored vodkas in the WAVE portfolio make it easy to create fun, new creations for every occasion," said Tracey Clapp, marketing director, vodkas. "These yummy recipes are a creative way to lighten the party and entertain guests with a festive-twist."

Here are some terrifyingly satisfying Halloween-themed drink recipes for entertaining the ghouls:

Mummy's Return1 oz. WAVE Vodka
½ oz. WAVE Whipped Cream Vodka
3 oz. Peach Nectar
Add ingredients to iced glass and stir.
Garnish with a peach slice

Cherry-Apple Creeper1 ½ oz. WAVE Cherry Vodka
4 oz. Apple Cider
Add ingredients to iced glass and stir.
Garnish with a stemmed cherry.

Haunted Punch1.5 oz. WAVE Blue Raspberry Vodka
2 oz. Pineapple Juice
2 oz. Cranberry Juice
½ oz. Lemon Lime soda
Add ingredients to iced glass and stir. 
Garnish with 2 raspberries.

Cream Scream1 ½ oz. WAVE Whipped Cream Vodka
2 oz. Orange Soda
2 oz. Lemon Lime Soda
Add ingredients to iced glass and stir.
Garnish with an orange slice.

WAVE Vodka is available in the following flavors: Classic unflavored, Cherry, Grape, Whipped Cream, Pink Lemonade, Baja, Lemon Lime, Coconut, Chocolate Covered Pretzel, Frosted Cinnamon Bun, Cake, Peach, Tiki and Blue Raspberry.  Available sizes are: 1.75L, 1L, 750 ml, and 50 ml. Suggested retail pricing is $8.99 for a 750ml bottle.

The First Ever Halloween Candy Popularity-to-Cost Index

Is Halloween a trick or a treat to your wallet? Both, say the experts at Savings.com, the leading destination for coupons, deals and expert shopping tips. In addition to costume expenses, you also have to shell out for candy, which, according to the National Retail Federation, will cost Americans $2.2 billion this year.

Savings.com aims to make the decision making process at your local grocery store a little bit easier and a little bit cheaper thisHalloween. In the first ever Halloween Candy Popularity-to-Cost Index, Savings.com uses science, data, and yummy pictures to reveal the best and worst Halloween candies based on popularity and price.

Savings.com conducted the survey* by asking people to choose their top three favorite candies in the categories of chocolate and non-chocolate. The team then conducted research on the cost of the candies. They identified the most popular at the best prices, and the least popular at the worst prices, and plotted them on the Halloween Candy Popularity-to-Cost Index. The outcome is a comprehensive guide to the best Halloween candies at the best prices.

The Top 10 Popularity-to-Cost candies are:

1. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
2. Starburst
3. KitKat
4. Skittles 
5. Snickers 
6. Twix
7. Gummy Bears/ Worms
8. Candy Corn
9. Sour Patch Kids
10. Butterfinger

The poll also revealed these key findings:

• Candy corn is very popular and very cheap, so it's an economical crowdpleaser.
• Pop Rocks, the costliest candy per ounce on our list, are as unpopular as they are expensive, so don't give these out unless you want to spend a ton of money on candy that no one likes.
• No one wants those foil-wrapped chocolate balls shaped like jack-o-lanterns. Also, no one knows what those are actually called.

Brew Up a Frightfully Fun Halloween Party

 Haunted with the thought of a ho-hum Halloween? Never fear — trick-or-treaters will want more than just candy once they see your party table. Throw a fabulous Halloween party fit for little goblins or grown-up monsters with some devilishly good sweets.

Try these easy party ideas from Wilton to make your Halloween spook-tacular:

• Add some "pop" to popcorn: Trick out ordinary popcorn into a sweet-and-salty party pleaser. Drizzle on Candy Melts® candy for festive flavors, and then capture the Halloween spirit by adding fun sprinkle mixes.
• Masquerade cookies: Who says you can't play with your food? Create edible masks with decorated shaped cookies and attach them to cookie sticks with melted Candy Melts candy. Set up a photo station at your party, so guests can take pictures with their cookie mask creations before eating them.
• Jack-o'-lantern cakes: It wouldn't be Halloween without carved pumpkins. Make yours edible by baking a delicious pumpkin spice pound cake shaped like a pumpkin. Increase the fun by adding silly icing facial features.
• Midnight potions: Spice up the night with candy corn drinks served in containers guests can devour, making cleanup easy and delicious. Or, toast the night with the Witch's Brew Mocktail.

For more Halloween ideas and inspiration, visit www.wilton.com.

Masquerade Cookies
Servings:  2 dozen cookies
2 3/4	cups all-purpose flour
1	teaspoon baking powder
1	teaspoon salt
1	cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2	cups granulated sugar
1	egg
1 1/2	teaspoons Imitation Clear Vanilla Extract
1/2	teaspoon Imitation Almond Extract
	Royal icing
	Orange, Black, Green, Lemon Yellow, Brown and Violet Icing Colors, as desired
	Orange, Yellow, Lavender and Black Colored Sugars, as desired
	Halloween Jimmies, Nonpareils and Icing Decorations, as desired
	Candy Melts candy
	Cookie sticks
Preheat oven to 350°F.

In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. In second large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Add flour mixture to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Do not chill dough. Divide dough into 2 balls.

On floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 inches in diameter by 1/8 inch thick. Dip eye and glasses cookie cutters in flour before each use. Arrange cookies on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8–11 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool completely on cooling grid. Decorate as desired using tinted royal icing, colored sugars and Halloween icing decorations. Use melted candy to attach sticks to backs of cookies; chill until set.

Pumpkin Spice Popcorn
Servings: 6 cups
6	cups popped kettle corn
2	cups mini pretzel twists
1	package (10 ounces) Pumpkin Spice Candy Melts candy
1	bottle (2.5 ounces) Pumpkin Mix Sprinkles
Spread popcorn and pretzels on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

In disposable decorating bag, melt candy in microwave at 50 percent power for 1 minute; remove bag and knead. Continue melting candy for 30-second intervals at 50 percent power until completely melted. Snip off end of bag and drizzle melted candy over popcorn mixture; immediately add sprinkles. Let stand until candy has hardened, about 20 minutes. Break into pieces to serve.

Caramel Apple Popcorn
Servings: 6 cups
6	cups popped popcorn, buttered and salted
3/4	cup roasted salted peanuts
1	package (10 ounces) Caramel Apple Candy Melts candy
1	bottle (2.5 ounces) Spider Mix Sprinkles
Spread popcorn and peanuts on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

In disposable decorating bag, melt candy in microwave at 50 percent power for 1 minute; remove bag and knead. Continue melting candy for 30-second intervals at 50 percent power until completely melted. Snip off end of bag and drizzle melted candy over popcorn. Immediately top with sprinkles. Let stand until candy has hardened, about 20 minutes. Break into pieces to serve.

Pumpkin Pound Cake
Servings: 16
3	cups all-purpose flour
1	teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2	teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2	teaspoon salt
1/4	teaspoon ground nutmeg
1	cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2	cups granulated sugar
4	eggs
1	teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4	cups canned 100 percent pumpkin (not pie filling)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare Dimensions Large Pumpkin Pan lightly with vegetable pan spray with flour. Place on baking sheet.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition; beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with pumpkin; mix well. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 70–80 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan. Turn onto cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.

Witch's Brew Mocktail
Servings: 6
3	cups ginger ale, chilled
1 1/2	cups pineapple juice, chilled
1/3	cup sweetened lime juice, chilled
	Green gel food color or green icing color (optional)
	Black Colored Sugar
	Gummy Eyeball Skewers

In large pitcher, combine ginger ale, pineapple juice, sweetened lime juice and, if using, gel food color.

To prepare glasses, dip rims of martini glasses in water, then in black sugar. Fill with drink mixture; add eyeball skewers.

Candy Corn Drinks
Servings: 8
1	cup (half of 12-ounce package) Bright White Candy Melts Candy, melted according to package directions
1	cup (half of 12-ounce package) Orange Candy Melts Candy, melted according to package directions
1	package (12 ounces) Yellow Candy Melts Candy, melted according to package directions
	Orange flavored fruit drink, orange, peach or mango juice or other favorite drink

Fill disposable decorating bag with melted bright white candy. Divide evenly among cavities of 8-cavity silicone shot glass mold, taking care to not get any candy on sides of mold. Repeat process with orange and yellow candy. Refrigerate until candy is set, about 30 minutes. Carefully remove candy glasses from mold and set aside. Fill with orange drink.