About two-thirds of U.S. adults will celebrate Halloween in some way this year, with parents of kids under 18 especially likely to have plans, according to a new poll.
Sherry Jenkins is a Halloween person by default. She lives in Blairstown, New Jersey, a rural town where much of the original “Friday the 13th” horror movie was filmed.
That date is, of course, a huge draw for tourists, but the town and its residents are all in on promoting Halloween as well with a parade and other activities. Jenkins, 69, goes along with the vibe, hosting friends and handing out candy to 1,000 or more trick-or-treaters every year.
She’s not alone.
About two-thirds of U.S. adults will celebrate Halloween in some way this year, with parents of kids under 18 especially likely to have plans, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.Many parents celebrate Halloween with their kids
“We’re definitely where the party is,” Jenkins said, noting that she’s not on board with healthy alternatives to candy. “I did that one year when I got raisins, and everybody made fun of me.”
Jenkins decorates her yard and may dress up her dog in a butterfly costume. And she usually throws together a costume for herself last minute.
She’s in the majority when it comes to Halloween candy.
Just 5% of U.S. adults say they will pass out healthy snacks instead of candy to children, according to the poll, which was conducted Oct. 9-13.
But Jenkins will be in the minority if the butterfly outfit makes it onto her dog: Only 9% of U.S. adults say they will dress up a pet in a costume.Parents are more likely to be celebrating
About 8 in 10 parents of a child under 18 say they will do something to celebrate the holiday, compared with about 6 in 10 adults without young kids.
