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A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 31 OcTOber 2019

AP-NORC poll: Halloween plans, from candy to costumed pets

CHICAGO (AP) — The have stopped putting up
good news for kids this Hal- decorations.
loween: They'll likely come "She decorates every year
home with a bigger pile and as soon as Halloween
of candy than of healthy is done, the Thanksgiving
snacks while out trick-or- stuff goes up," he said.
treating. Thompson is equally ada-
Americans have a wide mant that he won't be
variety of plans to cel- among the 7% who hand
ebrate the spooky holi- out healthy snacks instead
day this year, from carv- of candy this year.
ing pumpkins to watching "We are a good house be-
scary movies. Some even cause we pass out the bad
plan to make their dogs stuff," he said.
and cats suffer the fate of Peyton Helmer also is a firm
being forced into goblin or "no" when it comes to the
Spiderman outfits. question of healthy snacks.
Those are just some of the "This is the one day a year
findings of a poll conduct- for candy," said Helmer, a
ed ahead of Halloween by farmer in St. Landry, Louisi-
The Associated Press-NORC ana. "We are not going to
Center for Public Affairs Re- give out healthy snacks."
search. Pets weren't asked about
A majority of Americans their feelings about Hallow-
think it's unsafe for kids to een, but 11% of Americans
trick-or-treat alone, includ- do say they plan do dress
ing about a third who say up their cat or dog.
it's very unsafe. Perhaps not For those facing the choice
surprisingly, city residents of whether to dress their
and people with younger critters up, a common re-
children at home are es- frain is that the decision
pecially likely to say it's very belongs to the pets them-
unsafe. In this Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019 photo, neighbors Beth LeFauve, left, and Nelson Gonzalez pose for selves.
"There's all these kidnap- a portrait outside their two Bernard Street homes and the Halloween decorations spanning both Thompson joked his dogs
pings and stuff going on," properties in Chicago. would try to bite him if he
said Lamar Walker, of Associated Press ever came at them with
Huntsville, Alabama, in ex- a costume. But it's a split
plaining why this year he is drive from across the city, out candy. In all, about 4 in "I've always thought that decision at Lamar Walker's
taking his sons, 12 and 6, to are after something else: 10 say they plan to do so. was kind of foolish," said house. "Cucumber likes it,"
a party at a church. safety. Many Americans, includ- 76-year-old Earl Thompson, he said of the dog's bat
Such worries help explain "It's all contained and safe, ing most people with kids a retired northern Illinois outfit. But, the other one,
why an army of children and kids don't have to go under 13 at home, say they truck driver who counts China? "She don't like it
descend on one street on into apartment buildings do plan to dress their kids himself among the vast (and) she'll just sit in one
Chicago's North Side every where it gets creepy, (and) up and take them out trick- majority of Americans age spot and pee on the floor."
Halloween, not leaving un- they don't have to go down or-treating. About a quar- 60 and over who have no In Spearfish, South Dako-
til each house is some 2,000 main streets," said Nelson ter of adults, and a third plans to don a costume. ta, Cheryl Anagnapoulos
pieces of candy lighter. Gonzalez, an electric engi- of those with younger chil- By comparison, close to would be happy to let her
Part of the attraction may neer who is responsible for dren, will get into costume half of adults under age 30 Miniature Pinscher, Oliver,
be the elaborate displays, a lot of the electronics that themselves. do plan to dress up. Young- decide, as soon as he starts
including zombies pro- make the displays shake, But the poll also indicates er Americans are also far paying rent. "He fights pret-
grammed to shake fences roll, scream and smoke. that by 60 years old, fewer more likely than older ones ty hard," she said of when
and push baby carriages While pretty much every want to spend the evening to have plans to decorate it comes time to put on his
down the street and skel- house on Bernard Street dressed like Dracula, or to for the holiday, 46% to 28%. sweater with the skeleton
etons digging graves. But is good for a treat, the spend Nov. 1 yanking out But as long as his wife has face on it. "But we feed
homeowners know that poll shows what every kid the tombstones planted in her way, Thompson can't and house him so this is the
parents, some of whom knows: not everyone gives their lawns. join the ranks of those who least he can do."q