8 Haunting Facts About Halloween

Halloween is a holiday that originated from an ancient Celtic festival over 2,000 years ago called Samhain. During this ancient festival people would dress up in costumes and light bonfires to keep ghostly spirits away. Sometime during the 8th century, Pope Gregory the 3rd named November 1st as All Saints Day. As the traditions melded together, the evening before became known as All Hallows Eve, which later became the holiday we know today: Halloween. One interesting fact about Halloween is that when it was originally celebrated by the Celts, people dressed up as saints, angles and devils to hide their faces as they believed it would be easier to communicate with the spirits of their dead loved ones that would return on October 31st. It wasn’t until Halloween evolved over hundreds of years that it began to include the fun activities like trick or treating, haunted houses and pumpkin carving. Read some more surprising and spooky facts about Halloween below!

8 Halloween Facts

1. 1. Originally, scary masks were worn to keep evil spirits away on Halloween eve. (source) Ancient people believed mischievous spirits could come and haunt them or play tricks on them so the costumes would do two things, scare away the spirits, and hide the person from them.

2. 2. Pumpkin carving for Halloween actually started with turnips! (source) In England, Ireland, and Scotland, turnips were carved into demonic faces and candles were placed inside to illuminate them. These were called ‘punkies’ or ‘Jack o’ Lanterns’

3. 3. The term ‘trick or treat’ came from an early 1950’s Peanuts comic strip. (source) Before this, children didn’t ring doorbells and say “trick-or-treat” for candy on Halloween but Charles Schulz changed that with his cartoon.

4. 4. The most popular Halloween candy purchased in the US is Reese’s Cups. (source) Estimates show that shoppers will spend around $2.72 billion on Halloween candy in the US this year, which is even down 5% due to the state of the pandemic.

5. 5. In Germany, everyone hides their knives on Halloween. (source) A old tradition to avoid accidentally hurting the invisible ghosts that are said to come back and visit as past friends and family members.

6. 6. Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ is the top song streamed globally on Halloween. (source) Other top hits include Ghostbusters, Monster Mash, (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, and Highway to Hell.

7. 7. In Mexico, October 31st is known as Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. (source) People dress up in traditional Spanish clothing and paint their face as sugar skulls.

8. 8. Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween. (source) Halloween is frightening in good fun but some people are truly terrified of all the ghosts, goblins and witches that comes with it!