Hey guys, have you started prepping for Halloween already? I am guessing you have more or less added some bits of spookiness to your house. Perhaps some skeletons, a few skulls or jack-o-lanterns. But today’s post is not about decoration. Instead, it’s about some fun facts about Halloween that you might like to know. Check out if you have already known some of these facts!
Halloween originated from an ancient Celtic festival.
The origins of Halloween date back 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was observed on October 31 on the eve of their new year. The Celts believed that the dead returned to earth that night, and so they lit bonfires and donned costumes to ward off the ghosts.
Irish immigrants brought Halloween to the U.S.
You probably wonder how it was introduced into the U.S.? During the mid-1800s, a flood of Irish immigrants fled from the potato famine to the U.S., bringing the tradition of Halloween with them.
Trick-or-treating has existed since medieval times.
Trick-or-treating was inspired by the medieval English tradition of “souling,” which involved children going door-to-door on All Souls Day, offering prayers for residents’ deceased loved ones in exchange for food.
Candy wasn’t given out to trick-or-treaters until the 1950s.
There was a time when trick-or-treaters didn’t receive candy at all, but rather pieces of cake, fruit, nuts, coins, and little toys. It wasn’t until the 1950s, when candy makers began to promote their goods for Halloween, that candy became a staple on the trick-or-treating circuit. These days, one quarter of all the candy sold in the U.S. each year is purchased for Halloween.
Everyone still loves a good spooky Halloween costume.
Halloween looks can be silly, funny, or cute, but according to the National Retail Federation, scary costumes still reign supreme. In 2020, the top Halloween costumes for adults were:
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Witch
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Vampire
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Cat
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Batman
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Ghost
Skittles are America’s favorite candy.
Everyone wanted to taste the rainbow in Halloween 2020! According to CandyStore.com, Skittles were the top candy last year, followed by Reese’s Cups and Starburst.
Were you amazed by any of these facts? If so, I believe these trivia will come very handy when you are out trick-or-treating or Halloween partying. So it’s a good idea to get some of them up your sleeves, which I am sure you will be able to wow your friends and neighbors for this holiday season!