As innocuous as this question seems, it has plagued me for weeks now. After all, no one wants to post their comments online for all of their friends, family, and even a few strangers to see, and realize they sound stupid, especially on their first attempt. So, I considered telling a story from my childhood or recounting a humorous anecdote. I even contemplated using my cat as the “guinea pig”, per se. Then I typed out an essay analyzing the issues facing women in the post-modern feminist era, and swiftly ditched it in favor of the topic that’s really on all of our minds. Halloween candy.

Children want to know what kinds of candy they’re going to get in their Halloween buckets and how much. Parents want to know what quantity and type to buy—the cheap, generic, jumbo bags at Walmart that will undoubtedly last longer and please trick-or-treaters less, or the tastier, more expensive Hershey bars and Snickers. Or maybe they’re thinking they should skip the candy altogether and pass out healthier fare. Women are studying the backs of candy bags and calculating exactly which type will allow them to eat the most pieces for the least calories. Men are wondering where their wives put the good stuff.

Personally, I love a good mix. Throw in some Three Musketeers and Take Fives with a few boxes of Nerds and rolls of Sprees and I’m quite happy. Oh, and don’t forget the pumpkin-shaped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I simply must have one of those. As a child, I loved the waxed lips with vampire fangs, even if they never tasted very good, and the eyeball jawbreakers. But my seasonal favorite is undoubtedly candy corn—so simple, yet so delicious. I like to nibble it one colored layer at a time, even though I know there is no difference in flavor.

What are your favorite Halloween candies? Is there a seasonal treat you crave?