Despite the fact it seems like an organic, local, non-processed tidal wave has slowly been engulfing our nation, Americans are more in love with sweet, sticky, gooey, chocolatey candy than ever, and there's mathematical proof to back it up. According to the National Confectioner's Association, the average American will spend $7.36 on Halloween candy this year, putting the grand total of cash burned on candy corn and mini-Snickers at an unsettling $2.3 billion. That's a new record.

I've gotta say, I'm downright shocked by this number. Aren't we in the Michelle Obama age of finding non-teeth rotting alternatives to give to little trick or treaters? Hell, McDonald's is even giving out apples this year. Why so addicted to modified corn starch and Yellow #5, America?

Google has done it again with their ever-changing doodle, and as you might expect, today's creation strikes a perfect 'Happy Halloween' tone. According to the Google doodle team (there's a doodle team!), they wanted to capture the fun transformation that happens when a pumpkin is carved into a jack-o-lantern. The revamped homepage features a neat little time-lapse video of employees creating their own Google-themed pumpkin artwork.

Not that they used regular pumpkins. No, they went big for this one, with six freakishly enormous gourds that weighed over 1,000 pounds each.

Still don't know what you're going as tonight and looking for a fun, easy costume? Well, you're in luck because I've got you covered, so Happy Halloween! If you're going to eat a bazillion calories anyway, why not dress the part? No, I'm not saying you should go as a Snickers bar. Channel your inner workout freak with what you decide to dress up as: It could inspire you to get your rear into gear post-Halloween candy intake.

Here are 5 fitness-themed costumes you can make with things from around the house ...

Happy Halloween, everyone! I don't know about you, but my Halloween night plans traditionally involve two very important activities: cherry-picking the best candy from my kids' trick or treating haul after they go to bed, MOO HOO HA HAA, and 2) forcing my horror-movie-hating husband to watch a scary film with me.

If you're looking for a horror flick to rent and watch tonight, I've got a list of spooky, creepy films you may have missed in the last few years. If you're in the mood for monsters, slashers, vampires, werewolves, crazed killers, or other freaky/disturbing stuff, here's a sneak peek at 8 horror movies worthy of your All Hallow's Eve:

For some reason, moms don't want to have their babies on Halloween, so much so that their bodies will actually avoid giving birth on the day itself. If you are superstitious or even very religious, maybe it makes sense, but the fact is, Halloween is actually a really cool birthday to have. And I should know, my husband was born on this day and my mother was born tomorrow (November 1 -- All Saints Day). 

The day is admittedly a "dark" one focused on death rather than life. For some, this is a turn-off, but to me, it's not only the best day of the year, it's also an amazing birthday to have. If the veil between the living and dead is the thinnest on October 31, then what better day to make one's entrance?

My husband has never once been sorry he was born on Halloween, and even if you believe in the devil or the kind of darkness that makes people afraid of this day, it's still not a bad day to be born.

Happy Halloween, dear ghoulish readers! What are your plans tonight? Anything fun? Wild party? Trick-or-treating with the kiddies? Scary movie marathon? Personally, I plan on bundling up, parking myself on my stoop with a medium-sized bowl of mini Snickers and Jolly Ranchers, and passing out candy to adorable strangers.

Am I going to dress up? Eh, not really. Don't get me wrong, I love Halloween, but without a party on tap or a kid of my own, there was really no need for a costume this year. But I still plan on being festive. Which basically means cat ears, cat eyes, and more lip gloss than usual. I'm non-dressing up dressing up. And here are five ways you can, too.

No need for a full-on costume this year, but come on, nobody wants to be a killjoy.

If you are anything like me, in a few short hours, you are going to have more leftover Halloween candy than you know what to do with.

Personally, I've vowed not to gain 10 pounds in junk before Thanksgiving this year. How? By re-purposing the candy before I have a chance to gobble it all up from the kids, of course. Since there is nothing I find as irresistible as a big bowl of candy, I'm planning on at least a few of the following ...

Happy Halloween! For lots of us, at least here on the East Coast, the scariest thing that has happened so far is losing power and being without heat while it's February-like outside. But for anyone else looking for a conventionally spooky scare, there's a new high-tech way to do that. A ghost-hunting app for that, actually! Ha! As if your iPhone wasn't already capable of doing SO much -- basically serving as your executive assistant by directing you to the nearest latte, taking notes, and setting reminders for you!

There are actually two apps geared for ghost-hunting. The $0.99 app Ghost Hunter M2 uses the iPhone's built-in magnetometer to measure electromagnetic fields and the accelerometer to track movements like a ghost's footsteps. Woooo, creeepy! There's also Ghost Séance ($2.99), which claims to use a recorded medium's voice to summon "good spirits" only.