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| 20 interesting facts about Halloween |
1. According to Irish legend, Jack O'Lantern's holiday lantern is named after a stingy man named Jack, who, due to the fact that he deceived the devil many times, was forbidden to go to both heaven and hell. He was doomed to wander the Earth, waving his flashlight to lead people astray.
2. Halloween is the most commercially profitable holiday after Christmas.
3. In English, the word "witch" comes from the Old English word meaning "wise woman." In fact, witches were highly respected people in their day. It is a popular belief that witches held one of their main gatherings, or sabbaths, on Halloween night.
4. Self-phobia is an obsessive fear of Halloween.
5. Owls are a popular Halloween look. In Medieval Europe, owls were mistaken for witches, and hearing the hooting of an owl meant that someone would soon die.
6. Surprisingly, the first versions of Jack O'Lantern were made from turnips.
7. The world record for carving a face on a pumpkin belongs to Stephen Clarke, who completed the task in 24.03 seconds, breaking his previous record of 54.72 seconds. Competition rules require the pumpkin to weigh less than 11kg and be carved in a traditional way, which requires at least eyes, nose, ears and mouth.
8. The tradition of going home with the phrase “sweet or passionate” comes from the ancient Celtic custom of putting food and treats outside to appease the spirits that roam the streets of Samhain, a sacred festival that marked the end of the Celtic year.
9. Dressing up as ghouls and other ghosts comes from the ancient Celtic tradition of townspeople pretending to be demons and spirits. The Celts believed that such a disguise would allow them to escape the attention of the real spirits that roamed the streets during Samhain.
10. According to popular belief, if someone puts their clothes on the left side and walks backwards on Halloween, then at midnight he or she will be able to see the witch.
11. Scottish girls believed they could see images of future husbands if they hung wet sheets in front of a fire on Halloween. Other girls believed they could see the faces of their betrothed by looking in the mirror as they walked down the stairs at midnight on Halloween.
12. Ireland is usually considered the birthplace of Halloween.
13. Because of its association with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (the forerunner of Halloween) and later with witches, cats have taken a strong place in Halloween folklore. During the ancient Samhain celebrations, it is believed that Druids threw cats into fires, often in willow cages, as part of ritual activities.
14. The Scarecrow, a popular Halloween attribute, symbolizes the holiday's ancient agricultural roots.
15. Halloween is believed to have originated around 4000 BC, which means that Halloween has been around for over 6,000 years.
16. In 1970, a five-year-old boy, Kevin Toston, allegedly ate candy mixed with heroin on Halloween. Investigators later discovered that the heroin belonged to his uncle and was not intended for a Halloween treat.
17. In 1974, eight-year-old boy Timothy O'Brian died of cyanide poisoning after eating candy on Halloween. Later investigation revealed that his father had insured each of his children for $ 20,000 and that he had poisoned his own son and was going to poison his daughter as well.
18. Black and orange are commonly associated with Halloween. Orange is a symbol of strength and endurance and, together with brown and gold, symbolizes autumn and the harvest. Black is generally considered a symbol of death and darkness and acts as a reminder that Halloween was once a festival that marked the boundaries between life and death.
19. Salem (Massachusetts) and Anoka (Minnesota) are the self-proclaimed world capitals of Halloween.
20. In many countries, such as France and Australia, Halloween is viewed as an unwanted and over-hyped American influence.
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