Halloween has been my favorite holiday since I was a kid, especially since my birthday falls only 2 days after. I still wish to this day my mom could have just popped me out 2 days sooner so I could've been a halloween baby. Although I've never been a fan of haunted houses, I love the fall feel, all the imagination and creativity that goes into making costumes and of course the candy. Halloween traditions are different everywhere, and in honor of my favorite holiday, here are some fun facts maybe you didn't know about Halloween.
1. Halloween is thought to have originated in Ireland.
2. Halloween is not celebrated much by the French or Australians to honor those that have departed.
3. Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween.
4. Traditionally dressing up for Halloween originated from the ancient Celtics, who wore masks and costumes to hide from roaming spirits.
5. You may catch Halloween also being called, All Hallows’ Eve, Witches Night, Lamswool, Snap-Apple Night, Samhaim, and Summer’s End.
6. The word bonfire comes from an old term "bone-fire" when Druid priests would throw bones of cattle into the flames during the pre-halloween celebration of Samhain. Bonfires were lit to ensure that the sun would return after a long winter.
7. Teng Chieh or the Lantern Festival is a Halloween celebration in China. Lanterns shaped like dragons and other animals are hung around houses and streets to help guide the spirits back to their families.
8. Both Salem, Massachusetts, and Anoka, Minnesota, are the self-proclaimed Halloween capitals of the world.
9. Dia De los Muertos is a Mexican and Latin American form of Halloween. For centuries, many believed that on the night of October 31, heaven’s gates open and angelicas (deceased children) come back to play on earth for November 1. Then, the following day, all the deceased adults return to Earth, which is called All Soul's Day.
10. My birthday is on All Soul's Day.
11. The British tradition of carving a scary face into a vegetable was originally done with turnip. When Irish immigrants took the idea of the jack o'lantern to America, they started using pumpkins, because they were cheaper.
12. “Souling” is a medieval Christian precursor to modern-day trick-or-treating. On Hallowmas, the poor would go door-to-door offering prayers for the dead in exchange for soul cakes.
13. Traditionally, in Scandinavia, when a child lost a tooth, it was burned. They thought that if a witch found it, the witch could hex the child.
14. Superstition about the number 13 still runs high in the United States. Many hotels do not have a 13th floor because so many people refuse to stay on this floor. Flying on Friday the 13th or taking a thirteenth row seat on a train or airplane is considered a big “no, no” by many people who truly fear this number.
15. According to superstition, there is a good chance on Halloween that you are being shadowed by death himself and if you look upon him it will be the end.
16. Nearly 35 million pounds of candy corn are produced each year.
17. A working magician from the age of 17, Harry Houdini became America's favorite magician and a world-renown legend for his daring escapes. It was only fitting, then, for this master trickster to die on October 31, 1926.
18. According to an old folk tradition, you'll see a witch on Oct. 31 if you wear your clothes inside out and walk backwards. Supposedly, you'll see one at midnight.
19. Many American animal shelters refuse the adoption of black cats around halloween in hopes of protecting the animals from any kind of torture associated with witchcraft.
20. An old European legend says europeans believed that owls were witches, and that when overtime an owl called, somebody died in the world.
Spooooooky! Happy Halloween!!
