16 Spooky Facts You Never Knew About Halloween
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

16 Spooky Facts You Never Knew About Halloween

"On Halloween, the best way to get rid of demons is to simply start exorcising a lot."

97
16 Spooky Facts You Never Knew About Halloween
Pexels

Although some may not consider Halloween to be a holiday, I personally LOVE Halloween and it’s my second favorite holiday (Thanksgiving being the first). Halloween is a time for candy, costumes, and the Charlie Brown cartoon special, but how did it become this way? Why are children and teens encouraged to run around the neighborhood threatening tricks and asking for treats? You may already think that Halloween is a pretty bizarre holiday: What other celebration could inspire both a sexy vampire costume and cute little costume inspired by a cartoon character? Chances are you really have no idea just how weird Halloween truly is, so here are some facts to fix that...

1. Halloween is the second most commercial holiday of the year

The candy industry rakes in an average of $2 billion worth of candy each year. Americans spend an estimated $6 billion on Halloween annually, including candy, costumes, and decorations, according to History.com. In the United State, Christmas is obviously the most commercialized holiday of the year.

2. A full moon on Halloween is extremely rare

The most recent full moon was in 2001 and, before that it was 1955. It is predicted that the next full moon on Halloween won’t happen until the year 2020.

3. The first known mention of trick-or-treating in print in North America occurred in 1927 in Blackie, Alberta, Canada

The earliest known reference to ritual begging on Halloween in English speaking North America occurred in 1911, when a newspaper in Kingston, Ontario reported that it was normal for the smaller children to go street “guising” on Halloween between 6:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M., visiting shops, and neighbors to be rewarded with nuts and candies for their rhymes and songs. The earliest known use in print of the term “trick or treat” appears in 1927, from Blackie, Alberta, Canada.

4. The colors black and orange are typically associated with Halloween

Orange is a symbol of strength and endurance and, along with brown and gold, stands for the harvest and autumn. Black typically is a symbol of death and darkness and acts as a reminder that Halloween was once a festival that marked the boundaries between life and death.

5. Scottish girls believed they could see images of their future husband if they hung wet sheets in front of the fire on Halloween

Other girls believed they would see their boyfriends faces if they looked into mirrors while walking downstairs at midnight on Halloween.

6. Mexico celebrates Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) instead of Halloween

Day of the Dead is celebrated on the Christian holidays All Saints Day (November 1st) and All Souls Day (November 2nd) instead of Halloween. The townspeople dress up like ghouls and parade down the street.

7. Halloween is actually very old

Halloween is thought to have originated around 4000 B.C., which means Halloween has been around for over 6,000 years.

8. The Village Halloween parade in New York City is the largest Halloween parade in the United States

The parade includes 50,000 participants and draws over 2 million spectators.

9. Salem, Massachusetts is the self-proclaimed Halloween capital of the world

Salem, MA remains second-to-none when it comes to Halloween. It’s the home of the Salem Witch Trials that sparked a phenomenon that is still explored in schools across the Northeast. The town also embraces the past no matter how true or false the stories of witchcraft may be.

10. Children are more than twice as likely to be killed in a pedestrian/car accident on Halloween than on any other night

PLEASE BE SAFE OUT THERE!!!!

11. Many shelters don't allow black cats to be adopted around Halloween for fear that they may be tortured or sacrificed

The dark-haired felines have been associated with witchcraft since the Middle Ages in Europe, and the people who run the shelters are concerned that the supernatural underpinnings to Halloween will bring in people with bad intentions for the types of cats most closely associated with the occult.

12. The tradition of adding pranks into the Halloween mix started to turn ugly in the 1930's

A movement began to substitute practical jokes for kids going door to door collecting candy.

13. Halloween is the third biggest party day of the year behind New Year's Eve and Super Bowl Sunday

This one makes a lot of sense, if you think about it. Halloween is not thought of as a religious holiday by most. It's also celebrated over ninety percent of kids. Over sixty percent of adults participate in Halloween activities.

14. In 1950, Philadelphia-based trick-or-treaters traded in a sweet tooth for a sweet action

In lieu of candy, residents collected change for children overseas and sent it to UNICEF. Subsequently, the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF program was born.

15. Vampire bats are real

There really are so-called vampire bats, but they're not from Transylvania. They live in Central and South America and feed on the blood of cattle, horses, and birds.

16. Jack o’lanterns were originally made from turnips

When Irish immigrants took the idea of the jack o'lantern to America, they started using pumpkins, because they were cheaper than turnips.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

933343
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

109571
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less
New Year Resolutions

It's 2024! You drank champagne, you wore funny glasses, and you watched the ball drop as you sang the night away with your best friends and family. What comes next you may ask? Sadly you will have to return to the real world full of work and school and paying bills. "Ah! But I have my New Year's Resolutions!"- you may say. But most of them are 100% complete cliches that you won't hold on to. Here is a list of those things you hear all around the world.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Ultimate Birthday: Unveiling the Perfect Day to Celebrate!

Let's be real, the day your birthday falls on could really make or break it.

55825
​different color birthday candles on a cake
Blacksburg Children's Museum

You heard it here first: birthdays in college are some of the best days of your four years. For one day annually, you get to forget about your identity as a stressed, broke, and overworked student, and take the time to celebrate. You can throw your responsibilities for a day, use your one skip in that class you hate, receive kind cards and gifts from loved ones and just enjoy yourself.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments