Odd Facts About Halloween No One Ever Told You

Trick or treat? Lots of people love the spooky vibes, candies, and creative costumes of Halloween, but let’s test your knowledge about this holiday! Comment below how many of these facts you knew before.

Black cats have been associated with bad luck for a long time, and this fame is still chasing them. The superstition dates all the way back to the 13th century. Black cats have also been part of the Halloween theme, along with pumpkins, ghosts, witches, and skeletons, for a long time. That’s why some shelters don’t let people adopt black cats during the Halloween season. They worry that these animals will only be kept as props during Halloween. And then, they will be dumped once the season is over.

This sad truth made me wonder why people associate the colors black and orange with Halloween. Obviously, most pumpkins are orange. But there are other reasons, too. Orange symbolizes fall harvest, and black means darkness. It’s a reminder that Halloween once was a festival that focused on the boundaries between life and what’s beyond it.

That being said, Halloween dates back more than 2,000 years. It originates from a festival called Samhain, which means “summer’s end.” The feast is held around the first day of November to acknowledge the last day of the fall harvest. Plus, people used to think that the boundary between the world of the living and the land of spirits was at its thinnest at that moment.

That’s where the “spirit” of Halloween comes from. Now, some people associate Halloween with the Day of the Dead. This Mexican holiday dates back more than 3,000 years. It’s the day to remember and honor loved ones who are no longer in this realm.

People in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Northern France used to ward off spooks by starting bonfires. They were also wearing costumes to trick spirits. Speaking of tricks, “trick-or-treat” has a long history, too. This tradition has existed since medieval times. Back then, it was known as “guising” in Scotland and Ireland. Young people wearing costumes went door-to-door looking for food or money. In exchange, they sang songs, read poems, or did other “tricks.”

So how did this festival full of rituals become popular in the rest of the world? Well, immigrants helped popularize the holiday in the U.S., for instance. When the Irish came to the country in the 1840s, they brought their Halloween traditions with them.

The Irish also brought us jack-o’-lanterns. Legend says that an Irish person nicknamed “Stingy Jack” tricked the devil. For that, he was trapped between two worlds. He spent his days wandering around Earth carrying a lantern. Of course, this is a myth, and the reality has more practical and realistic reasoning. Metal lanterns were quite expensive, so people carved root veggies.

Over time, they started to carve faces and designs to let the light shine through without embers getting extinguished. It’s also hypothesized that in 17th-century Britain, it was common to refer to a person whose name you didn’t know as “Jack.” For instance, a night watchman would become known as “Jack-of-the-Lantern.” Ah-ha! Yeah, there are dozens of versions of the tale about jack-o’-lantern. All of them have different storylines. Feel free to pick one to believe!

The largest number of lit jack-o’-lanterns on display was 30,581. This record was achieved by the City of Keene in the USA in 2013. Keene was the original record holder in this category. But it has broken it 8 times since the initial attempt. They’re sure passionate about jack-o’-lanterns!

In the U.S., consumers spent about $9 billion on Halloween in 2019. Most Americans buy candy, decorations, and costumes. But the first prize definitely goes to sweets. As for costumes, there are limitless options, from store-bought classics to last-minute DIY outfits. A study says that the witch costume was the most popular choice amongst grown-ups in 2021. What’s your go-to costume?

When you look at Halloween decorations, you’re likely to see depictions of a full moon beaming. Interestingly, a full moon on Halloween only occurs 3 or 4 times every century! On average, the moon is full on Halloween every 19 years. Last time, it was seen in 2020! Now that you know this, you can, you know, start the countdown for the next one.

Do you know that pumpkins are a fruit, not a vegetable? Basically, anything that grows from a flower is technically a fruit.

People carved turnips instead of pumpkins in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They used to carve frightening expressions on turnips and sometimes beets and potatoes.

Not just Halloween itself has spread all over the world. Irish traditional Halloween bread joined along the way. It’s called “barmbrack” or just “brack.” It’s a sweet loaf with dark and golden raisins. People used to hide small toys or rings in this bread. They believed that whoever found the item would have good fortune in the following year. You better be careful eating this bread, though, if you aren’t planning to see your dentist in the upcoming year.

If you’re looking for various types of pumpkins, Illinois is the place you need! It produces up to 5 times more pumpkins compared to other states. Illinois farms grow over 500 million pounds of pumpkins every year.

Let’s assume you’ve got your pumpkin; how fast can you carve it? Well, the fastest pumpkin carving only took 16 and a half seconds! Stephen Clarke holds this record. He carved his lantern in October 2013. In order to take part in the competition, the jack-o’-lantern had to have a complete face — with the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. And Clarke nailed it.

Some people love it, and others hate it. I’m talking about “Candy corn.” It has become a traditional go-to candy to offer when someone knocks on your door. It was originally called “chicken feed.” The company used to sell the treat in boxes with a rooster on the cover to give reference to America’s agricultural roots. The sugary recipe hasn’t changed much since the 1880s, but the packaging has.

While most people enjoy the spooky spirit of Halloween, some don’t like it for a serious reason. Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween.

Now, how about Halloween postcards? Not so many people send postcards these days, but they were popular in the past. From 1905 to 1920, over 3,000 Halloween postcards were mass-produced. Then the telephone became the preferred method of communication.

Halloween is often a big event in certain American communities and neighborhoods. During Halloween, neighborhoods would often hold contests for the best-decorated house and the most creative and spooky decorations.

The next fact is about Pumpkin Spice Latte. Mmm. A cup of joy made up of espresso with a mix of traditional spice flavors: cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. You add steamed milk and top it with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice. It’s most commonly associated with Starbucks. The company first sold the drink in the fall of 2003.

Despite its spooky vibes, Halloween was once about finding true love. I know this prize is taken by Valentine’s Day these days, but there was a time when Halloween was associated with courtship.

There was a game where a woman peeled an apple and tossed the peel over her shoulder. The way the peel landed was believed to indicate the initials of the woman’s future love. Now, eat, drink, and be scary this year, too! Don’t worry, it’s not Halloween. She just saw her phone bill.