We are getting closer to Halloween. It is my favorite time of year! There are so many facts and tidbits I find fascinating about this holiday. I've done my research and thought I would share some of the most interesting facts you may not have known about Halloween! Here we go!

1. Why is Halloween celebrated on October 31st? Halloween is celebrated on October 31st because it stemmed from the Celtic beliefs that during this time of year, ghosts could return to earth. The Celts called this time of Samhain (pronounced 'sah-win'), or the third harvest. If you've read a previous article of mine I discussed the second harvest observed by the Celts known as Mabon, which we celebrate as the first day of autumn or the autumnal equinox.

2. Why do we wear costumes on Halloween? Again, thanks to the ancient Celts, due to their belief of the ghosts and spirits returning to earth during this time of the year, they wanted to dress up in anything that could potentially frighten away the spectres.

3. What exactly is a witch?Witch stems from the Old English word "wicce". Wicce means "wise woman". You may have heard of the Wiccan belief or religion. Despite your opinions (and society's) on Wiccans, they were once socially accepted and, in fact, praised. They were highly respected for their advice and "third sight". It is believed that during Halloween, or Samhain, at the time, these witches held meetings or sabats on October 31st.

4. Why do we use jack-o-lanterns? Well, first off, many years ago, the first jack-o-lanterns were not pumpkins, but turnips! This tradition can be traced back to Ireland and the Celtic-speaking regions (I'm sensing a theme here with the Celts! Haha!) Carving vegetables have been an occurrence for years. The Celts began this tradition to represent those that have passed that year AND to ward off any roaming evil spirits. Additionally, a myth has it that a stingy man named Jack fooled the devil several times and was denied entrance to Heaven and Hell and was stuck to roam the earth with his lantern.

5. Why do we go trick-or-treating on Halloween? Although it didn't get popularized in North America until the late 1920s, trick-or-treating, or guising, began in the Middle Ages in Europe - that's one the Celts had nothing to do with! Despite several reasons, one reason trick-or-treating started was for young children and poor people from the area to go around and asking for money and in return would pray for the deceased in the owners home. Also, there were times where people went to the house where they know a family member passed and would bring them treats called "soul cakes". Instead of going to a house and "demanding" money and treats, it was traditional to bring treats to the home.

6. Why are the colors of Halloween black and orange? Orange was said to represent strength and endurance, along with the colors brown and gold, which stands for the harvest and autumn. Black is usually a symbol of death, but also acts as a color of protection.

7. Why do we decorate with scarecrows? Scarecrows are used for decoration to symbolize agricultural roots during this season of harvest. I'm sure if we did more research on this, we could connect it back to none other than the Celts.

8. Did anyone besides the Celts offer anything to Halloween? Yes. Halloween was also influenced by ancient Romans. They held a festival honoring the goddess Pomona, the harvest goddess. The Romans' traditions included games such as bobbing for apples. In the past, they referred to this night as San-Apple Night.

9. Why are campfires and bonfires so popular during this season? Ignoring the obvious reasons of wanting to make s'mores and be warmer while outside, before Samhain, or Halloween, bonfires were lit to ensure the sun would return after a long and cold winter. Druid priests would throws bones of cattle in the flames, hence "bone fire" which became "bonfire".

10. When did the Halloween tradition start? It is said that Halloween traditions have been around in all parts of the world - clearly heavily in the Celtic region. Halloween in any capacity has been celebrated since 4,000 B.C. That makes Halloween more than 6,000 years old!

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I am such a book worm and enjoy learning about what I am doing. I read more in depth on any given topic assuming I am captivated by it. you can probably expect a similar article in December! Happy hauntings!