2,000 years ago Irish Celts believed the ghosts of the dead would roam the Earth on Halloween night.
They believed it enough to dress up in spooky costumes to ward off the unwanted entities, and leave treats out on their front porches for the roaming spirits as peace offerings.
During the Halloween season all these years later, we still see Jack-O’-Lanterns on almost every front porch along with roaming packs of trick-or-treaters.
Did you know the first Jack-O’-Lanterns were actually made from turnips? Or what about the fact that black cats, spiders and bats are all Halloween symbols because of their historical ties to Wiccans?
Let’s learn some more Halloween fun facts and discuss some Halloween safety tips.
Halloween Fun Facts
What Are The Origins Of Halloween?
As mentioned the origins of Halloween date back 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on October 31st, the eve of their new year.
The Celts believed that the dead returned to Earth that night, so they lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off the ghosts.
In America, despite colonial New Englanders’ awareness of Halloween, celebrations were limited due to their strict Protestant beliefs.
It wasn’t until the second half of the 19th century, when a wave of Irish and other European immigrants arrived, that the holiday became widespread. (Source: www.thepioneerwoman.com)
What are Some Traditions of Halloween?
- Making Jack-o’-Lanterns.
- Wearing spooky costumes.
- Trick-or-treating.
- Going to Halloween parties.
- Visiting haunted houses.
- Telling scary stories.
How Can Adults Celebrate Halloween?
- Explore the Halloween and pumpkin displays near where you live.
- Watch Halloween movies.
- Go to a Haunted House event or attraction.
- Check out Halloween ghost walks.
- Attend Halloween parties.
- Carve pumpkins.
- Try baking some salted Pumpkin seeds.
- Check out the Fall leaves.
What Are Some Creepy Fun Facts?
Here are some random creepy facts that you may wish you didn’t know:
- Crows can recognize and remember human faces.
- Real corpses were used in the 1982 film Poltergeist.
- There are bodies of over 150 dead hikers on Mount Everest, and they’re used as landmarks. (Source: www. boredpanda.com)
What Are Some Halloween Safety Tips?
Take only factory wrapped candy or treats. Wash your hands when finished trick or treating before eating candy.
Unless you know someone very well and trust them, and even then, don’t let your child eat homemade candy or other sweets on Halloween.
Most people don’t have malicious intent when handing out homemade treats, but they may contain ingredients that can cause an adverse reaction or illness.
Other Trick-Or-Treating Safety Tips:
- Always walk on sidewalks or paths.
- Cross the street at corners, use traffic signals and crosswalks.
- Put electronic devices down, keep head up to walk, don’t run across the street.
- Show children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
How Can You Let Trick-Or-Treaters Know You Are Not Participating?
Most know to respect the lights on or off rule. If you’re participating, turn on a light at the front of your house and put out Halloween decorations to indicate that you’re ready to hand out some loot.
If you aren’t participating, turn off the lights to alert trick-or-treaters to move on to the next house.
Other Fun Halloween Facts:
- The world’s largest recorded pumpkin weighed 1,054 kilograms (2,323 pounds).
- Scarecrows, a popular Halloween symbol, symbolize the ancient agricultural roots of the holiday.
- Trick or treating became popular in America in the 1930s, when it was common to hand out treats such as homemade cookies, nuts, toys, and coins.
- Candy companies started to market pre-packaged Halloween treats in the 1950s, and 20 years later, it became the primary treat given out to children.
- While pumpkins are normally orange, they also can also be green, white, red or gray.
- According to Irish legend, Jack-O’-Lanterns were named after a stingy man named Jack. Because he tricked the devil several times, he was forbidden entrance into both heaven and hell. He was thus condemned to wander the Earth, waving his lantern to lead people away from their paths.
Final Thoughts:
Our spooky holiday has evolved from a day with religious origins, to one dedicated to mischief and mayhem, to now being one of the most commercialized celebrations of the year.
Have fun, be safe and Happy Halloween to you all!
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