If you have been through just about any neighborhood during the past couple of months, you no doubt have noticed the growing number of people who are going all out when they decorate their homes and yards for Halloween.

The decorations cover a wide range, from 12-foot-tall skeletons and grim reapers; to life-size witches who stir cauldrons containing an icky-green substance while steam rises and spooky music plays; to giant inflatable pumpkins and ghosts, giant spiders and webs, old-fashioned projectors that display black cats and bats on garage doors and orange front lights; to strings of orange and purple lights to lights that seem to drip from trees; to even the simple decorations like a classic mummy or two, a jack-o’-lantern or even a scarecrow propped up among a couple of bales of hay.

And if you, or someone you know, is among those who go all out for Halloween, you are not alone. In fact, more than half of Americans decorate for Halloween, according to a survey conducted by Lawn Love.

That’s especially true if you are between the ages of 25 and 34, according to the San Diego-based lawn care company that provides service across the country. Of those who fall within that age group, 68.7 percent said they always will decorate their homes. Men (55.17 percent) are more likely to always decorate their homes, with women (49.72 percent) not that far behind.

And, there’s not much of a difference among those who have different levels of education, either, with 58.11 percent of those having an advanced, doctorate or professional degree always decorating, while those with a college who always decorate (52.36) and those with a high school diploma or GED (52.65 percent) are nearly even.

What might be surprising (but really might not be) is that there is a difference in the way men and women decorate. Men, for example, favor larger outdoor areas, the survey shows, including the front yard (63.89 percent), windows (45.23 percent) and doors (41.99) percent. Women, on the other hand, are more interested in decorating the entrances (53.25 percent) and inside (48.05 percent.)

More than half of those surveyed (50.73 percent) said they will use jack-o’-lanterns as part of their displays, while 45.79 percent said they will use lights, 42.59 percent said they planned to use spider webs, 32.43 percent said they would use inflatable figures, 30.3 percent said they would use still sculptures or displays, 25.46 percent said they would use gravestones and 25.27 percent said they’d use scarecrows.

If it seems to you that Halloween decorations are going up earlier and earlier, you might not necessarily be wrong. Most people surveyed (41.92 percent) said they start decorating in early October, with 19.46 percent saying they wait until the middle of the month. A total of 13.36 percent, however, reported they start decorating in September.

••••••••

When it comes to the rankings of the best places to celebrate Halloween, our region does not fare very well.

Pittsburgh is ranked 32nd on the annual list compiled by WalletHub. The Washington, D.C.-based personal financial website uses 20 metrics to come up with its rankings, ranging from costume stores per capita, to crime rate to the potential trick-or-treat stops.

New York; Jersey City, N.J.; Miami; Las Vegas and Chicago are at the top of the list, while Memphis finishes at No. 100.

At least we rank better than Columbus, which stands at 51st, and Cleveland, which comes in at 71st.

WalletHub does project there will be $11.6 billion spent on Halloween this year. That includes $3.8 billion on costumes and $3.5 million on candy — that’s important, because 67 percent of Americans plan to give candy to trick-or-treaters. And, the survey reveals, 97 percent of people who participate in trick-or-treat will hand out chocolate.

••••••••

The candy landscape, however, is changing. According to CandyStore.com, M&Ms has passed the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups as the most popular Halloween candy for the first time. Sour Patch Kids comes in third, Skittles Fourth, Starburst fifth, Hot Tamales sixth, candy corn seventh, Hershey’s Kisses eighth, Hershey’s Mini Bars ninth and Butterfinger 10th.

Looking at the Tri-State Area, Charm’s Blow Pops are tops in Ohio, with M&Ms second and Starburst third. In West Virginia, Hershey’s Mini Bars are first, followed by Blow Pops and Almond Joy. And, in Pennsylvania, M&Ms are first, followed by Hershey’s Mini Bars and Skittles.

While you can’t really go wrong with any of those treats, CandyStore.com also has provided a list of the worst Halloween candies. Finishing in the 10th spot is Good & Plenty (which has replaced Tootsie Rolls on the list.) Ninth is Bit-O-Honey, eighth is Smarties, seventh is black licorice, sixth is wax coke bottles, fifth is Mary Janes, fourth is Necco Wafers, third is candy corn (which gives it the distinction of landing on both lists), second is peanut butter kisses and first, once again, is circus peanuts.

Which brings us to the annual survey of favorite candies among the staff of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times. Cindy Steinemen, who works in our front office, was the only person who chose M&Ms, while Lisa Vargo and Rhonie Kinney from the front office and Sports Editor Andrew Grimm all choose Reese’s Cups. Advertising representative Sierra Martin was torn between Reese’s and Snickers, while Operations Manager Robin Weltner said Take Five, Kay Shannon of the front office said Fast Break and Joe Emery said Milky Way. Community Editor Julie Stenger said Crunch bars are her favorite, while for reporters Linda Harris, Christopher Dacanay and Warren Scott, the respective choices were the Hershey Bar, Reese’s Pieces and black licorice. City Editor Mike McElwain prefers Zagnut, Publisher John Hale picks Twix and Daily Times Managing Editor Craig Howell is going with Almond Joy. Advertising representative Monica Yelder said her favorite is watermelon-flavored Sour Patch Kids.

As for me, I’ll stick with a white chocolate Reese’s Peanut Cup.

It’s all food for thought as we head toward Thursday, which is when area communities will celebrate Halloween — and something to think about as we head into the Christmas shopping season, which officially begins Friday.

(Gallabrese, a resident of Steubenville, is executive editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times)