NEW YORK — Nearly three-quarters of parents are planning to go “all-out” for Halloween this year. In a new poll of 2,000 American parents, 37 percent say their child will spend more time outside trick-or-treating in 2021.
And plenty of moms and dads are getting in the fun too. Two in five parents say they’ve decorated their house more this year – perhaps to offset the disappointment from 2020’s All Hallows’ Eve.
Best Halloween ever?
Moms and dads are also willing to drive an average of 4.3 miles to take their kids to a “prime candy” neighborhood. In fact, the average parent eats between four and six pieces of their child’s candy before Halloween is over.
One could argue these parents have earned the treats. In addition to driving out of their way, almost two-thirds of American parents prefer to visit their friends’ or family’s neighborhoods on Halloween night, with 54 percent assuming their kids will get the best candy from those houses.
The survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of HI-CHEW, finds half of parents even take inventory of which neighborhoods give out the best candy so they can plan where to go trick-or-treating the following year.
The survey also shows that 81 percent of kids end up eating their entire candy haul within the first week! One in four won’t even make it to Nov. 2. Forty-two percent of parents admit that their kids don’t think they get enough candy at the end of the night. That concern is likely to escalate this year, as 47 percent of parents worry about people leaving out candy bowls that will empty quickly.
“Year after year, candy is the unifying factor between kids and parents around the haunted holiday,” says Tatsuya Takamiya, Chief Marketing Officer of Morinaga America, Inc, in a statement. “Whether it’s sharing with your sibling, or trading candy with your friends, trick-or-treating remains the hallmark of Halloween and creates happy memories for families.”
Maximizing (candy) earnings
When it comes to filling their buckets, some kids will stop at nothing to load up on sweets. In fact, two in five respondents claim that their child has actually changed costumes to hit a good candy house more than once! While 16 percent believe that you’re never too old to go trick-or-treating, three-quarters also confess to giving out more candy to younger children each year.
Just over half the poll (52%) say the thing they’re looking forward to most this Halloween is going trick-or-treating with their children. Another 56 percent believe this activity is their child’s favorite part of the season.
“Halloween is a fun and engaging holiday for all ages, young and old,” Takamiya says. “It’s a time for eating and sharing candy that brings people joy while cherishing the time they get to spend with their families, and doing so safely. That’s what truly matters after the last year we’ve all endured.”