Posted by: John S Kiernan

It’s the spookiest time of the year, when superstition runs rampant and treats always come with the potential for a trick. But like with anything else, the more you know about Halloween, the less scary it seems. Did you know, for example, that ringing doorbells and lighting candles are thought to ward away witches, ghosts and evil spirits? Or, how frightening can haunted houses really be when charities operate 80% of them?

Even if you’re not prone to spooking, there’s always something interesting to learn about Halloween. For instance, the mere fact that 16% of people plan to put costumes on pets and 62% of parents admit to stealing candy from their kids tells us a lot. And that’s just the beginning. To ease your fears and help you gain a new appreciation for this hallowed holiday, WalletHub explored Halloween from all angles.

Below, you can find an infographic with a collection of the best Halloween factoids we could find, followed by an Ask the Experts panel discussion on the economics of Halloween. You can also see where your hometown ranks as a holiday destination in our report on the Best Cities for Halloween.

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Ask The Experts: Exploring the Finances of Fright

For a different, more serious take on Halloween and the cottage industry that revolves around it, we posed the following questions to a panel of experts. You can check out their bios and responses below.

1. What are the biggest Halloween money-wasters?
2. What measures should parents take to ensure their kids are safe when trick-or-treating?
3. What are some healthy treats or nontraditional goodies that kids might actually enjoy?

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• Linda Behrendt Certified Family Life Educator and Associate Professor of Applied Health Sciences at Indiana State University
• Andrew Chesnut Bishop Walter Sullivan Chair in Catholic Studies and Professor of Religious Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Author of “Devoted to Death: Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint”

Linda Behrendt Certified Family Life Educator and Associate Professor of Applied Health Sciences at Indiana State University What are the biggest Halloween money-wasters? Number one is definitely costumes. Elaborate, expensive costumes that are purchased in their entirety, as a package. Here in Terre Haute, kids trick-or-treat on both the 30th and the 31st (so much for childhood obesity), so two nights of candy can get pricey. Also, some people give away full-size candy bars. What measures should parents take to ensure their kids are safe when trick-or-treating?

• First, make certain that the child can walk in their costume, and see clearly if they are wearing a mask;

• Take children to neighborhoods and homes that you, as a parent, are familiar with, or go trick-or-treating at the mall or churches that offer “trunk-or-treat” events;

• Finally, parents should always accompany their children -- if the children think they are too old for their parents to go with them, they are probably too old for trick-or-treating.

What are some healthy treats or nontraditional goodies that kids might actually enjoy?

• The Dollar Store and the Dollar Spot at Target have all sorts of fun items, like cool stickers, unique erasers and/or pencils -- there are all sorts of fun stuff, with multiple items per package;

• Granola bars;

• Individually packaged animal crackers, or peanut butter and crackers.

Andrew Chesnut Bishop Walter Sullivan Chair in Catholic Studies and Professor of Religious Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Author of “Devoted to Death: Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint” What are the biggest Halloween money-wasters? Overpriced costumes are by far the biggest Halloween money wasters. More than one third of all Halloween-related expenditures are on costumes, many of which are so shoddily manufactured that they tear or come unhinged within hours of putting on. I've learned my lesson over the years and have taken to homemade skeleton costumes. I'm a proud chocoholic, so I refuse to criticize expenditures on Halloween chocolate. What measures should parents take to ensure their kids are safe when trick-or-treating? My own children are now adults, so I'm out of the loop with the latest advances in Halloween safety for trick-or-treaters. However, I do attend adult Halloween parties and would strongly recommend that revelers avoid gummy bears soaked in vodka and flaming marshmallow treats. What are some healthy treats or nontraditional goodies that kids might actually enjoy? While I'm fully aware of our obesity and diabetes epidemics, Halloween is all about excess and indulgence, so I say bring on the chocolate, at least for one night. Those who insist on healthy options can go with chocolate that has at least 70% cacao and contains nutritious pieces of nuts, peanuts or berries.

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