The 12 Most Popular Halloween Costumes

It's that time again. Time to put out the cobwebs and spiders that you would normally abhor. Time to set out the tombstones and turn the light down real low. That's right, it's almost Halloween!

While the candy and decorations are fun, the best part of Halloween is seeing what all the children who come to your door are wearing. There's always an odd mix; from kids out on their first trick or treating adventure to high school aged kids trying to get another year of candy grabbing in, you never quite know what to expect.

This year I am in a new home in a new neighborhood so I look forward to seeing an entirely new group of munchkins come to my door in hopes of acquiring their favorite sweet treats. Over time I've noticed that while each year has it's fad of popular characters and costume like we saw last year with the influx of little Harry Potters coming to the door, there are some costumes that are simply the most common and tried and true ones out there. These are the most popular Halloween costumes for kids.

For Girls

1. Witch
It's easy. Throw on a black dress, buy a pointy hat and borrow mom's broom and there you go, you're set to get some candy.

2. Princess
Disney has the market cornered on this one. What little girl doesn't dream about being a princess? And everyone has their favorite; is it Ariel? Snow White? Sleeping Beauty? An ordinary old princess?

3. Ballerina
Another little girl fantasy. They dance around all day long anyway why not dress up and pretend to be a real dancer?

4. Angel
Ask any father and that's what their little girl is. Again, it's an easy costume. Think white.

5. Cheerleader
In our society cheerleaders are the cool kids in high school, the ones every girls wants to be. Well, on Halloween they get to be.

6. Pop Star
Britney, Christina, Hillary, Hannah Montana. They're idolized by young girls. Beautiful, rich and famous. Need I say anything else?

For Boys

1. Pirate
Especially with the popularity of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise of films boys want to be warriors and battle one another. It's an outlet for being bad.

2. Cowboy
It's fun to dress up in boots, wear a hat and carry a gun. It's an American tradition and staple. The cowboy will probably always be popular.

3. Grim Reaper / Death Figure
Every store that sells Halloween costumes has them, the evil death-like figure masks. Little boys want to scare others and this is their chance.

4. Superheroes
The male equivalent of princesses, superheroes are tremendously popular. Superman, Spiderman, Batman and others are staples in the world of toys, clothing and amusement so why not Halloween as well?

5. Ninja
Lots of kids take karate so it's an easy costume to put together. Plus you get to act cool when someone asks to see you do a trick.

6. Firefighter / Police Officer
The masculine profiling roles for what several young boys wish to grow up and become.