Ten fun Halloween facts you might not know

Ooo! Halloween is creeping up on us, and while we’re busy planning the perfect costume and stockpiling sweets (don’t pretend you’re not), there’s a lot more to this spooktacular celebration than just trick-or-treating.

It’s a holiday steeped in centuries of history, mysterious traditions, and some truly surprising facts. So, as you carve your pumpkins and get ready for all things spooky, here are 10 fun (and slightly eerie) Halloween facts that are sure to give you a treat!

Halloween’s Ancient Roots – This isn’t just about dressing up in your finest vampire costume–Halloween goes way back, over 2,000 years in fact! The holiday has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, where people believed that on October 31st, the line between the living and the dead was blurred, allowing spirits to wander the earth. Spoooooky!

Jack-O’-Lanterns – Were Originally Turnips Forget pumpkins–back in the day, the Irish were carving faces into turnips to scare away evil spirits! It wasn’t until Irish immigrants arrived in America that they switched to pumpkins (because they’re bigger and much easier to carve). Makes you wonder how tricky it was to carve a turnip!

The World’s Largest Pumpkin – If you think your pumpkin is big, think again! In 2021, an Italian farmer broke the world record with a pumpkin weighing an astonishing 2,702 pounds (that’s about the weight of a small car!). Just imagine the size of the pie you could make with that!

Bobbing for Apples is an Ancient Tradition – That game you played as a kid where you dunked your head into a bucket of water to grab apples with your teeth? It’s got ancient Roman roots! The Romans celebrated the goddess Pomona, and the game was meant to predict your future–especially when it came to love.

Trick-or-Treating Has Medieval Origins – The classic “trick-or-treat” isn’t just a modern invention. It’s based on a practice called souling, where, during the medieval period, the poor would knock on doors offering prayers for the dead in exchange for food. Now, we get sweets instead–arguably an upgrade!

Black Cats: From Luck to Spook – In ancient Egypt, black cats were seen as symbols of good fortune and were deeply respected. But during the Middle Ages, they unfortunately got a bad rap and became associated with witchcraft and bad luck. To this day, many still believe black cats bring misfortune (we say they’re just misunderstood!).

John Carpenter’s Halloween Wasn’t Meant to Be a Hit – You know Halloween, the iconic 1978 slasher film? It was made for just $300,000 and was never expected to be the massive success it became–raking in over $70 million worldwide. Not bad for a film made on a shoestring budget!

Victorian Mirror Superstitions – Feeling brave? In the Victorian era, it was believed that if you stared into a mirror at midnight on Halloween, you might catch a glimpse of your future spouse. But beware–some also believed you could see a ghost or even your own death. Maybe don’t try this one at home…

Michael Myers’ Mask Has a Funny Backstory – The creepy white mask that haunts your dreams in the Halloween movies? It was actually a Captain Kirk mask from Star Trek! The filmmakers bought it from a costume shop, gave it a quick spray-paint, and turned it into the iconic mask we all know today. Talk about a budget makeover!

Harry Houdini’s Mysterious Death – Legendary magician and escape artist Harry Houdini passed away on Halloween in 1926. His death, from a ruptured appendix, only added to the mystique surrounding his life. To this day, his name is synonymous with mystery and illusion–fitting for a man who died on the spookiest day of the year.

So there you have it! Next time someone asks you about Halloween, you’ll have a cauldron full of fun facts to share. Whether you’re dressing up, bobbing for apples, or just enjoying the sweets, now you know the history behind the holiday–and it’s even spookier than you thought!