10 Halloween Facts You Didn’t Know
Ahhh.. the wonderful night of all hallows eve. AS the night of monsters ghouls and candy rears its beautiful head once again. A far cry from the original festivities celebrating the lives and memories of those who have passed on. It is now characterized by a great many events such as haunted house, scare runs, pumpkin carving, and the ever great tradition of trick-or-treating. Here are 10 facts about Halloween that you probably didn’t know
- The first jack-o-lanterns were made out of turnips
- Trick-or-treating evolved from the ancient Celtic tradition of putting out treats and food to placate spirits who roamed the streets at Samhain, a sacred festival that marked the end of the Celtic calendar year.
- College men are more likely than college women to wear Halloween costumes that hide or disguise their identities.
- The famous magician Harry Houdini passed away on Halloween in night in 1926
- There are about 41 million 5 to 14 year old children in the United States, so make sure your costume is better than theirs because competition will definitely be stiff this year.
- Samhainophobia is the intense fear of Halloween
- College students who dress up for Halloween are more likely to celebrate by drinking than those who do not wear costumes (THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT EVERYONE DOES!).
- Stores that sell Halloween costumes to children offer outfits that are overwhelmingly sex-typed. Only 10% are gender-neutral.
- Want to see a witch this Halloween, put on your clothes inside out and walk backwards. As the legend goes you will see a ghost at midnight.
- In many countries, such as France and Australia, Halloween is seen as an unwanted and overly commercial American influence
There are a couple of million houses to choose from to go get your free treats. A couple of costume parties to compete in. The best part is always seeing how creative some people will be, so don’t get scared at the things you see!
Have a happy Halloween everyone whether your chasing tricks or treats.
