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23 Spooktacular Fun Facts About Halloween

Yep, it's that time of year again!  I can just picture it now -- parents and their kids scrambling to find the perfect costume, houses and schools decorated with everything from ghoulish ghosts to wicked witches, children ambling from home to home trying to fill their jack-o-lantern buckets with as much candy as they can possibly fit in them.

And those who don't have kids or decided to leave them with the babysitter are probably planning to attend a Halloween party or other event in town that likely involves costumes, food, and loads of liquor!

While most of us are familiar with the kinds of festivities that take place on Halloween, we aren't as well versed in the history of the occasion. How and when did Halloween originate? When was trick-or-treating first referenced in the media? What are some alternative names for the holiday? Do other countries celebrate Halloween? Do stores sell nearly as much Halloween merchandise as they do Christmas items?

In this post, I'll be answering all these questions and provide other interesting insights on this widely celebrated occasion.

Without further ado, I present to you 23 howlific facts about Halloween:

  • Halloween is believed to have originated around 4000 B.C., meaning that it has been around for well over 6,000 years
  • Other names for Halloween include Witches Night, All Hallows’ Eve, Snap-Apple Night, Samhaim, Lamswool, and Summer’s End
  • Halloween was influenced by the ancient Roman festival Pomona, which celebrated the harvest goddess of the same name. Many Halloween games and customs that feature apples (such as bobbing for apples) and nuts date from this time
  • Ireland is said to be the birthplace of Halloween
  • Scarecrows, a popular Halloween fixture, represent the ancient agricultural origins of the holiday
  • With their ties to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (which preceded Halloween) and later to witches, cats have a permanent place in Halloween folklore. During the ancient celebration of Samhain, Druids were believed to throw cats into a fire as part of divination proceedings
  • “Souling” is a medieval Christian precursor to the trick-or-treating tradition we enjoy today. On  Hallowmas (November 1), the poor would go door-to-door offering prayers for the dead in exchange for soul cakes
  • The first known mention of trick-or-treating in print in North America took place in 1927 in Blackie, Alberta, Canada
  • Trick-or-treating gradually evolved from the ancient Celtic tradition of putting out treats and food to appease spirits who roamed the streets at Samhain, a sacred festival that signaled the end of the Celtic calendar year
  • The owl is a popular symbol of Halloween. In Medieval Europe, owls were regarded as witches, and to hear an owl's call meant someone was about to die
  • The word “witch”  derives from the Old English wicce, which stands for “wise woman.” In fact, wiccan were highly respected people at one time. Legend has it that witches held one of their two principal meetings, or sabbats, on Halloween night
  • The biggest pumpkin ever measured was grown by Norm Craven, who broke the world record in 1993 with pumpkin weighing 836 pounds
  • The far of Halloween is known as Samhainophobia 
  • Black and orange are the colors most commonly associated with Halloween. Orange symbolizes strength and endurance and, along with brown and gold, stands for the harvest and autumn. Black represents death and serves as a reminder that Halloween was once a festival that marked the boundaries between life and death
  • Salem, Massachusetts, and Anoka, Minnesota, are the self-proclaimed Halloween capitals of the world
  • In countries like France, Halloween is viewed as an unwanted and highly commercial American influence
  • Halloween is the second highest grossing commercial holiday after Christmas
  • Harry Houdini (1874-1926), one of the most famous and mysterious magicians who ever lived. died in 1926 on Halloween night as a result of appendicitis 
  • Dressing up as ghouls and other spooks originated from the ancient Celtic tradition of townspeople disguising themselves as spirits and demons
  • Mexico celebrates the Days of the Dead (Días de los Muertos) on the Christian holidays All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2) in lieu of Halloween. The townspeople dress up like ghouls and parade down the street
  • Teng Chieh or the Lantern Festival is one of China's most popular Halloween festivals. Lanterns shaped like dragons and other animals are hung around houses and streets to help guide the spirits back to their earthly homes
  • Halloween celebrations in Hong Kong are known as Yue Lan or the “Festival of the Hungry Ghosts," Fires are lit and food and gifts are offered to placate potentially angry ghosts who might be in search of revenge
  • The Village Halloween parade in New York City is the largest Halloween parade in the United States.
     Source: facts.randomhistory.com

I didn't know any of these interesting tidbits until I researched the holiday myself. I think many of us tend to take the holidays and occasions we celebrate for granted. Learning about their origins certainly helps us appreciate them more. 

I hope you learned something new today and wish you a safe, fun, and Happy Halloween!
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