As the year 2011 winds down, leaving behind memories of a number of events that made it a distinctly remarkable one, we consider one of those events; an occasion that called for celebration and festive cheer and one that saw its most enthusiastic response in nearly a decade.

According to the U.S.'s National Retail Federation (NRF), approximately 160 million people celebrated Halloween this year, making it the highest count in the nine years since the organization began its surveys. The data gathered also indicates that the extent of festivities and celebrations grew 63.8 percent this year, compared to the last, and Americans probably spent $2.5 billion on costumes in 2011.

Also according to a survey by BIGresearch, 2011's most popular costumes for adults were - a witch, a pirate, a vampire, a zombie, Batman, a cat, a vixen, a ghost, a nurse and a generic scary costume or mask.

Check out the photographs for a recap of some of the best costumes of 2011.

2011 in Review Top 10 Halloween Costumes of the Year PHOTOS
A girl models her costume during the kids costume competition at the "Scaredy Cats and Dogs" Halloween fund-raising event at a mall in Quezon City, Metro Manila, on October 23, 2011. Reuters
2011 in Review Top 10 Halloween Costumes of the Year PHOTOS
A boy models his monster costume during the kids costume competition at the "Scaredy Cats and Dogs" Halloween fund-raising event at a mall in Quezon City, Metro Manila, October 23, 2011. REUTERS
2011 in Review Top 10 Halloween Costumes of the Year PHOTOS
An animatronic monster is pictured at the House of Torment haunted house in Austin, Texas October 24, 2011. The invisible whoosh-bang effect in Austin's House of Torment haunted house, recently named one of the most innovative in the country, is one example of the rekindled love affair between modern audiences and psychological horror. Picture taken October 24, 2011. REUTERS
2011 in Review Top 10 Halloween Costumes of the Year PHOTOS
A person dressed up in an eyeball costume plays the trumpet during the 39th Annual Halloween Parade in New York, New York October 31, 2011. Reuters
2011 in Review Top 10 Halloween Costumes of the Year PHOTOS
Jenna Idaho in scary Halloween costume to scare at the House of Torment haunted house in Austin, Texas October 24, 2011. The invisible whoosh-bang effect in Austin's House of Torment haunted house, recently named one of the most innovative in the country, is one example of the rekindled love affair between modern audiences and psychological horror. Picture taken October 24, 2011. Reuters
2011 in Review Top 10 Halloween Costumes of the Year PHOTOS
A man dressed up as the deceased Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi takes part in the 39th Annual Halloween Parade in New York, New York October 31, 2011. Reuters
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