But many Americans have been preparing for the holiday for weeks .
但许多美国人几周前就开始为这个节日做准备了。
And businesses are hoping for good profits from Halloween purchases .
商家也希望从万圣节消费中获得可观的利润。
The National Retail Federation (N.R.F .) is the largest U.S . trade group representing sellers of material goods .
美国零售联合会（N.R.F.）是代表实物商品销售商的美国最大行业组织。
It expects total Halloween spending in 2024 to reach about $11.6 billion .
该组织预计，2024年万圣节总支出将达到约116亿美元。
That sounds like a healthy amount , but it would be a drop from the year before .
这听起来是个不小的数目，但比前一年有所下降。
So , you might wonder : What are Americans buying for Halloween and how do they celebrate the holiday ?
那么你可能会好奇：美国人为万圣节买些什么？他们又是怎样过这个节日的？
Halloween traditions in America are linked to Celtic beliefs in ancient Britain .
美国的万圣节传统与古代不列颠凯尔特人的信仰有关。
The Celts believed that spirits of the dead would return to their homes on October 31 , the day of the autumn feast .
凯尔特人相信，死者的灵魂会在10月31日，也就是秋季节庆那天回到家中。
Celts would build huge fires to frighten away any evil spirits that might return .
凯尔特人会燃起巨大的篝火，吓走可能回来的恶灵。
People from Scotland and Ireland brought these ideas with them when they came to America .
苏格兰人和爱尔兰人来到美洲时，也带来了这些观念。
Some believed that spirits played tricks on people on the last night of October .
有些人相信，在10月的最后一晚，灵魂会捉弄人。
In modern America , the holiday mostly belongs to children .
在现代美国，这个节日主要属于孩子们。
After dark , children wear special clothing , called costumes .
天黑以后，孩子们会穿上一种特别的服装，叫作装扮服。
They often appear as frightening creatures like vampires , ghosts and witches .
他们常常装扮成吸血鬼、鬼魂和女巫等吓人的角色。
The children walk around their neighborhoods , knocking on doors of homes .
孩子们在社区里四处走动，挨家挨户敲门。
When someone answers a door , the children yell “trick or treat .”
有人开门时，孩子们就会大喊“不给糖就捣蛋”。
If the people in the homes do not give them a sweet treat , the children may play a trick on them .
如果屋里的人不给糖果，孩子们就可能捉弄他们。
Some of the purchases people make for Halloween include candy and costumes .
人们为万圣节购买的东西包括糖果和装扮服。
This year , the N.R.F . expects the superhero character Spider-Man to be the most popular children's costume .
今年，N.R.F.预计超级英雄蜘蛛侠将是最受儿童欢迎的装扮。
Children are not the only Americans in costumes on Halloween , however .
不过，万圣节穿装扮服的美国人并不只有孩子。
Adults also dress up in costumes and attend Halloween parties , parades and other events .
成年人也会盛装打扮，参加万圣节派对、游行和其他活动。
These celebrations often include costume competitions , with prizes for the most frightening , inventive or humorous costumes .
这些庆祝活动通常包括装扮比赛，最吓人、最有创意或最滑稽的装扮可以获奖。
Overall , the N.R.F . reports , total spending on costumes for Halloween 2024 is expected to reach a total of $3.8 billion .
N.R.F.报告称，2024年万圣节装扮服的总支出预计将达到38亿美元。
It says buyers will spend $3.5 billion on Halloween candy .
该组织说，消费者将在万圣节糖果上花费35亿美元。
Americans also enjoy decorating their homes for Halloween .
美国人也喜欢为万圣节装饰自己的家。
People hang fake skeletons , witches , spiders and other scary things around their doors and from trees and bushes .
人们在门口周围和树木、灌木丛上挂起假骷髅、女巫、蜘蛛等吓人的东西。
They also cut scary faces into pumpkins and light them to create a strange glow .
他们还在南瓜上刻出吓人的脸，再点上灯，营造出一种奇异的光芒。
Some people do a little decorating , others do a lot , and still others do none at all .
有些人装饰一点，有些人装饰很多，还有些人根本不装饰。
But , the N.R.F . says researchers estimate Americans will spend about $3.8 billion dollars to dress up their houses for Halloween this year .
但N.R.F.表示，研究人员估计，今年美国人将花费约38亿美元为万圣节装扮房子。