I've seen other estimates of how much Americans spend on Halloween ($3B for example). Whatever the nubmer is, it is staggering. If it is $3B, that is about $10/person in the US. I find that amazing. I wonder how many people contributed $10 this month to help somebody who is hungry.

The Writer's Almanac from American Public Media: "Today, 70 percent of American households will open their doors and offer candy to strangers, most of them children; 50 percent of Americans will take photographs of family or friends in costume; and the nation as a whole will spend more than six billion dollars. In terms of dollars spent, it is the second most popular holiday of the year in this country, after Christmas."