In honor of Halloween being this week, I did some research to find some fun facts to share with you all. I hope you find them interesting and fun!

1. Halloween is said to have began around 4000 B.C.
2. Many people associate Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween, the Celts held the festival of Samhain, an early version of Halloween.
3. Samhain was a Celtic festival that marked the end of the Calendar year.
4. Dressing up as ghouls and other monsters was a Celtic tradition, because the Celts believed if they disguised themselves as demons they wouldn’t be seen by the real spirits that wander the streets during Samhain.
5. Trick-or-treating began as a Celtic tradition. The Celtics would leave treats and food out to appease the spirits that wandered the streets at Samhain.
6. Halloween was ultimately created to convert pagans to the Christian church. The Church assimilated their religious days, All Saints’ Day and all Soul’s day, with pagan holidays that fell around October 31.
7. The ancient Roman festival Pomona celebrated the harvest goddess, and has great influence on Halloween and fall festivities. Many of the activities and customs that deal with apples and nuts come from that time.
8. Black and orange are undoubtedly the colors associated with Halloween. Orange is associated with autumn, as well as strength and endurance. Black symbolizes death and darkness, which serves as a reminder of the original purposes of Halloween.
9. Jack-O-Lanterns were originally made out of turnips.
10. Pumpkins originated from Mexico about 9,000 years ago.
11. Christmas is the highest grossing commercial holiday, Halloween comes in second
12. The first documented trick-or-treating that occurred in North America, happened in 1927 in Blackie, Alberta, Canada.
13. Trick-or-treating didn’t occur for a number of years after World War 2 because of sugar rationing.
14. Cats got their link to Halloween, because it is said that during Samhain Druids would throw cats into a fire as a part of the divination proceedings.
15. Some animal shelters won’t let black cats get adopted around Halloween, because they are afraid the cats will be used for sacrifice or tortured.
16. In the UK white cats are considered to be bad luck, rather than black cats.
17. Legend has it that if you see a spider on Halloween, it is the spirit of a loved one checking up on you.
18. There is an old tradition that says if you wear your clothes inside out and walk backwards on Halloween, then you will see a witch at midnight.
19. Over 20 million pounds of Candy Corn is purchased each year by Americans.
20. Harry Houdini died on Halloween in in 1926, from appendicitis that was a result of three punches to the stomach.

Sources

Karin Lehnardt Senior. "40 Fun Facts about Halloween | FactRetriever.com." 40Spooky Facts about Halloween. N.p., n.d.

DarkshadowsGT. "100 Halloween Fun Facts." Dark Shadow Ghost Tours. N.p., n.d.