Each year 2 billion dollars is spent on Halloween candy. Now that's a lot of candy -- and cavities! What's the most popular Halloween candy? Snickers tops the list for trick-or-treaters.

More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces -- enough to circle the moon nearly four times if laid end-to-end.

Did you know that chocolate is better for your teeth than hard candy? Chocolate rinses more easily from the mouth by saliva, leaving it in contact with teeth for a shorter time. Chocolate also contains tannins, which inhibit the action of cavity- causing bacteria. Finally, a good excuse to indulge!

Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America. Halloween's roots can be traced back to Celtic culture in Ireland.

According to their "Druid" religion, November 1st was New Years' on their calendar. The celebration would begin on October 31st,and last into the following day. The spirits of all who died in the prior year, would rise up and roam the earth on this night.

Halloween as we know it today, has grown from the ancient Druid Holiday. Along the way both fun and frights have been added to the mix.

Halloween is second only to Christmas in spending. Consumers will spend over $2.5 billion during Halloween. That's a whole lot of candy, costumes, decorations, and party goods.

Pumpkins originated in Central America. They were used then (and now) as a food crop. When Europeans arrived in the New World, they found pumpkins plentiful and used in cooking by Native Americans. They took seeds back to Europe where they quickly became popular.

There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with orange? Hard to believe for such an important color? The same is true for the colors purple and silver. But, who cares about silver and purple...they are not pumpkin colors!

Top prize money for the biggest giant pumpkin is as much as $25,000 dollars at fall festivals. The current world record for giant pumpkins is 1140 pounds.

The Irish carved turnips and put coals or small candles inside. They were placed outside their homes on All Hallow's Eve to ward off evil spirits. They were also known to use potatoes and rutabagas.

When Irish immigrants came to America, they quickly discovered that Jack O Lanterns were much easier to carve out and began using them. This truly neat tradition quickly spread to the general population in America and elsewhere.

It is believed that the Irish began the tradition of Trick or Treating. In preparation for All Hallow's Eve, Irish townsfolk would visit neighbors and ask for contributions of food for a feast in the town.

It's not uncommon for people to be afraid of Halloween. In fact, there's even a name for this fear: Samhainophobia.

Common names for Halloween are: All Hallows Eve, Samhain, All Hallowtide and The Feast of the Dead. Orange and black became Halloween colors because of orange is associated with harvests and black is associated with death.

"Hallow" is an old word meaning holy, while "e'en" is Scottish for evening. A cup of candy corn has fewer calories than a cup of raisins.

Bobbing for apples is played around a tub of water with floating apples; the winner is the first one to pick up an apple with their teeth. Traditionally, the winner was predicted to be the next to get married.

Submitted by Sara Fierst, University of Wisconsin, Platteville