Trick or Treat?

As the second largest holiday in terms of spending, second only to Christmas, Halloween is not to be ignored. But Halloween wasn't all fun ... in fact, it was actually a pretty serious holiday.

• The term "Halloween" originates with the Catholic Church - it's a contraction of All Hallows Eve. All Hallows Eve or All Saint's Day (November 1st) was a day to honor all the Catholic Saints.
• Celebrating on Halloween is possibly rooted in the Druids, a Celtic culture, who had the tradition of marking the end of the year on the last day of summer (October 31st). This holiday is called Samhain.
• The concept of "trick-or-treating" comes from the early All Souls' Day parades in England where poor citizens would beg for food. People gave them "soul cakes" in return for a promise to pray for them.

In the US, the Halloween we're familiar with today began around the 1800s with costumes, fortune telling and games like bobbing for apples. It's come a long way. So whether you're handing out those treats or playing those tricks, here are some things to think about:

• People hand out their own favorite treats for the most part: 35% plan to hand out their favorite candy, 21% buy what is on sale, and 16% buy their children's favorites.
• About half of all parents have a plan worked out for allotting their kids a few pieces of candy per day after Halloween, 31% plan to have their kids share in the decision; 8% plan to let co-workers reap the benefits of their kids' trick-or-treating after keeping a certain amount for the house.
• Carving Jack-o-lanterns originated in medieval Ireland where they carved turnips and placed coals or small candles inside to ward off evil spirits.
• The pumpkin originated in Mexico 9,000 years ago.
• The largest pumpkin in the world? 1,502 pounds.
• In 2005, Americans consumed 26 pounds of candy per person, most of which is believed to be consumed around Halloween.

Happy trick or treating.