Halloween is one of the biggest holidays of the year for kids but it's also one that raises a lot of concerns, including safety and candy overload. From costumes to cute pictures, here are some Halloween tips and facts.

Candy

Per capita, Americans ate 25 pounds of candy last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. "It is believed a large portion of this is consumed by kids around Halloween," the bureau noted.

The Chicago Dental Society reviewed nutritional information for two dozen candy favorites in 2003 and concluded that the average trick-or-treater collects 5,435 calories worth of sweets featuring more than 3 cups of sugar. In terms of calories, that's comparable to consuming three quarts of chocolate ice cream, two tubes of cookie dough or 2 ½ gallons of soda, the society determined.

Tooth decay is scary

The dental society frowns on hard and sticky candies, noting that both prolong the time sugar is in the mouth and thus make teeth more vulnerable to cavities. If parents do hand out sweets, the society prefers ones that are easily chewed and swallowed.

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends kids with braces stick to chocolate and peanut-butter cups, avoiding hard candies and chewy ones such as caramel and jelly beans. No surprise: Both groups say to brush after sugary treats.

Bite-size chocolate candies are the most popular for Halloween, according to the National Confectioners Association. Half of kids said they prefer chocolate (a quarter said other candy, while a tenth like gum). Nearly 15 percent voted for money.

Treat or toy?

While the candy folks say only 2 percent of kids favor toys as trick-or-treat prizes, a Yale University study found that nearly half of 284 young trick-or-treaters picked a small toy over candy when given the choice. "It may be unrealistic to disassociate Halloween from candy entirely, but any decrease in the amount of candy eaten is a step in the healthy direction," concluded the study, published in 2003.

Though it's easy to dismiss health concerns since Halloween is only once a year, the Yale University researchers argue that candy is increasingly promoted for all holidays, from Christmas to Valentine's Day. Families need to be "more aware of how non-nutritious foods are often sold under the auspices of a 'special treat' and, taken together, these special occasions represent many unhealthful food choices," the study authors note.

Possible noncandy items to hand out: Stickers, tattoos, crayons, pencils, plastic rings, coins, bubbles, novelty favors.

To keep families' waistlines trim, nutrition experts advise waiting until a few days before Halloween to buy candy and then getting rid of leftovers to avoid temptation. That might include the children's haul, since the confectioners association says 9 out of 10 parents admit to sneaking some of their kids' goodies.

What to do with the extras

Some food banks prefer more nutritious donations but others, such as Northwest Harvest's Cherry Street Food Bank (www.northwestharvest.org), accept wrapped candy, so call ahead to your local food bank.

Several retirement centers and senior centers said they'd pass on candy donations (too many folks with dentures and/or diabetes), so consider programs serving homeless teens, such as YouthCare's Orion Center (www.youthcare.org/orioncenter.cfm), instead.

Almost half of all parents surveyed said they have a plan for allotting their kids a few pieces of candy per day after Halloween, notes the confectioners association. Their storage advice: Milk chocolate can store for eight to 10 months when wrapped in foil and kept in a cool, dark, dry location. Hard candies last up to a year. Avoid freezing candy with fruits and nuts.

More tips

Give kids a good dinner so they won't fill up on sweets.

Use candy in cookies (M&Ms or bits of chocolate bars can swap for chocolate chips) or chop it up as an ice-cream topping.

Set up a buy-back program where parents trade kids cash, toys or books for candy.

Save candy to use as decorations on gingerbread houses.

Combine candy with raisins, nuts and cereal for homemade trail mix.

Costumes

What's the favorite costume this year? Pick your survey: The National Retail Federation, which polled 8,106 consumers last month, says the top 10 kid costumes will be princess, Darth Vader and other "Star Wars" characters, witch, Spiderman, monster, superhero, Batman, ninja and clown.

When it comes to TV or movie characters, Harry Potter, "Star Wars," Batman, Fantastic Four and Dora the Explorer are most likely to show up on your doorstep, judging by 4,345 shoppers questioned by The Macerich Company.

About 25 percent of those asked plan to make a costume, but the majority (40 percent) will buy it, The Macerich Company found.

Safety

The most common Halloween-related injuries are poked eyes, burns and car collisions, according to Dr. Rick Blum, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. The college recommends children trick-or-treat with adult supervision at houses of worship, shopping malls or other community events, rather than going door to door.

Beyond the basics (walk on sidewalks, remind children not to go into strangers' homes, and throw away suspicious candy), the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests:

Clear yards of items that could potentially trip trick-or-treaters, including hoses, flower pots and dog leashes.

Sweep up wet leaves from sidewalks and steps.

Replace burned-out outdoor light bulbs.

And when dressing up, the Food and Drug Administration warns:

Don't wear decorative contact lenses, which can cause permanent eye injury. Contact lenses should only be distributed by eye-care professionals.

Most face paint and Halloween makeup should not be used near the eyes, even if packaging shows otherwise.

Remove makeup as directed by the label, before bed.

Trivia

Adults plan to spend an average of nearly $50 on Halloween-related items this year, for a total of more than $3 billion, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation. This includes $32 on costumes, $18 on candy, $20 on decorations and $8.50 on greeting cards, making Halloween the sixth-largest spending holiday of the year.

Nearly 75 percent of people plan to hand out candy on Halloween, while a little less than 50 percent say they will decorate their home or yard, the Federation notes. About 40 percent will carve a pumpkin, 25 percent will throw or attend a Halloween party and close to 30 percent plan to take kids trick-or-treating.

Photography

Kids moving around in the dark can make Halloween photos challenging. The New York Institute of Photography (www.nyip.com/tips/halloween.php) offers these tips for fun pictures.

Shoot at dusk, when it's dim but not totally dark. Use high-speed film or a nighttime camera setting.

Light two or three candles inside the pumpkin to capture a glowing jack-o-lantern. Don't use a flash but shine a flashlight if extra light is needed.

For a scary costume photo, ask a helper to shine a flashlight onto the subject's face from one side or below, about six inches away (turn off the flash and take it at night). Hold the camera at the child's eye level and fill the frame with just the head and shoulders. Another option: Lie down on the ground and shoot up for an unexpected perspective. Don't forget a photo without the mask, too.

Get creative with silly poses (example: a vampire or monster lunging at the camera).

Look for action shots, such as kids playing games at a party or putting on makeup. For trick-or-treating, position yourself on the porch so you can snap kids receiving candy (but watch which way the front door opens so it doesn't block your view).

Stephanie Dunnewind: 206-464-2091 or sdunnewind@seattletimes.com