Statistically Speaking

Wednesday is Halloween, a festival that originated around 5 B.C. in present-day Ireland as a pagan celebration. The celebration has become more commercial than spiritual, and consumers continue to spend more and more money on Halloween-related merchandise each year — a sign that the Halloween spirit is still present today.

Percentage of Americans expected to celebrate this year: 64

Combined weight in pounds of jack-o’-lanterns and pies sold last year: 1.1 billion

Amount of money spent on Halloween in 1996: $2.13 billion

Amount of money spent on Halloween in 2006: $4.96 billion

Expected number of trick-or-treaters this year: 36.1 million

Sources: National Retail Federation, Forbes Magazine, (www.census.gov), (www.usda.gov), (www.about.com), (www.msn.com)