Halloween Facts is the piece information you need to understand and may be make some sense out of October 31. You might want to learn more about Fun, History, Trivia, Interesting and Fun Halloween facts for Kids and Adults.  Yet more, discover historical facts on Halloween-related items like candy, pumpkins, turnips, costumes and masks, Jack-o’-Lanterns, creatures or fixtures like bats, owls and cats, and activities like trick-or-treating amongst others.

Halloween Candy Facts.

Any Fun, Trivia & Interesting Facts about Candy and Halloween? Keep on reading to learn more. You must have heard that Halloween is the sweetest day of the year. Not only is it sweet for trick-or-treaters but also for the Candy industry. According to the National Confectioner’s Association, the average American eats up 24 pounds (10.8 kilograms) of candy each year and as records put it, October 31 is the day most the candy is consumed. This is the exact reason that makes candy-makers happy. All Hallows Eve is a $6 billion industry and in the United States alone Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually! Leave alone the sweetness…

Did you know…

• Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America?
• 50% children prefer to receive chocolate candy bars for Halloween, compared to 24% who prefer non-chocolate candy and 10% who preferred gum?
• On average, it will take you 364 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?
• That if Brach’s laid out the candy corn kernels it sells each year end to end, they would wrap around the Earth 4.25 times.

You need more candy facts? Mental Floss has listed more Classic Candy Halloween Facts

Halloween Pumpkin Facts

Let us see Fun, History, Trivia & Interesting  Halloween facts about pumpkins.The association of pumpkins with Halloween has roots in America, specifically Central America, where pumpkins were a favorite food for the Natives. About 99% of pumpkins sold are used as Jack O’ Lanterns at Halloween.

Pumpkins are curved into Jack-o-Lanterns. The world’s fastest pumpkin carving time: 24.03 seconds, is held by Stephen Clarke. He beat his previous record of 54.72 seconds.

Did you know pumpkin carving in bulk is a popular Guinness World Record stuff? Halloween fans of Highwood, Illinois managed to take the record in 2011 with 30,919 simultaneously lit Jack-O-Lanterns.

According to Guinness World Record (October, 2014), Beni Meier from Switzerland grew the  heaviest pumpkin weighing 1,054 kg (2,323 lb).

In the year 2013,Tim Mathison grew the largest pumpkin ever. It weighed 2,032-pounds(921kg). The previous world record was held by a 2,009-pound pumpkin grown by Ron Wallace of Greene [Channel3000]
According to some sources, in the year 2013, 50,900 acres of pumpkins harvested in the United States.

Halloween Colors History Facts

What are Halloween colors? Why these colors and what do they symbolize? What Halloween facts are behind the colors?

The main traditional Halloween colors are Orange and black. However, green, red and purple have become popular  on October 31. These three colors mainly appear on Halloween decorations and are also usually used in party themes of All Hallows Eve.  Halloween participants have been observed disguised in costumes and masks that have these colors. At the same time, the very colors make appearances on candy, supplies or gifts. You will notice that these items are wrapped or packaged  in either red, orange, black, green, purple etc. Let us have a look at how these colors are associated with Halloween.

Orange is a very popular color during Halloween. Traditionally, Samhain was celebrated in autumn. Orange leaves and gourds were the elements that made up this period of the year. The color orange is linked to fire, pumpkins, autumn and Fall harvest. Generally it is a positive color and symbolizes a celebration. As opposed to black which is associated with death, orange brings warmth, it is the fire color that cuts through the darkness of night.

Some sources also claim that the orange color stands for the endurance  which is thought to link to the wars between the Celtics and Julius Caesar.

Orange along with brown and gold stands for the harvest and autumn.

Black is associated with darkness or night, death, fear and silence. Basing on the idea that All Hallows Eve was thought of as the day during which the border between the living and dead/spirit world became indistinct, the festival came to be associated with death and therefore the color of black. Even in current day, some countries associate black with death. The Americans for example mourn while dressed in black. The black color also stands for black cats, witches, bats, and vampires which play an important role in the Halloween traditions.

Purple- Its popularity continues to grow. Well, Halloween is full of  mystery, supernatural, spirits and purple is the color that represents this. It is actually the modern color of witches. Have you noticed witch costumes with purple and black stripes costumes? The color is also used to supplement the mystic element to Halloween as it is part of other  elements like  vampires, and spirits of the dead.

Green is the color of goblins and monsters.

Red is the color of blood and evil.

Halloween Trick-or-Treat History Facts

Why Trick or Treat? Who are Trick-or-treaters?

The Druids believed that spirits of the dead visited their world on the Halloween night. Years ago, there was a superstition that they would arrive disguised as beggars and walk door to door asking for money during Samhain. It became a custom to not let them return empty-handed. This how trick or treating came into being. Back then, the trick or treaters were believed to be spirits

Trick-or-treating then spread in areas of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Trick-or-treaters went house-to-house “souling” – asking for small breads called “soul cakes” in exchange for prayer. Adults also went door-to-door asking for food and drinks in exchange for a song or dance. Some time in the early 20th century, it came to America and spread west to east. Actually “Souling” is a barbaric or old-fashined Christian precursor to what is known as trick-or-treating today. The year 1927 is when the trick-or-treating  first appeared in print. That was in  Blackie, Alberta, Canada.

History Jack-o’-Lanterns Facts

You might find this Halloween Fact funniest and probably the most Interesting. You are aware that Halloween is represented by the jack-o’-lanterns which come from a Celtic folk tale of a stingy farmer named Jack who had a habit of frequently playing tricks on the devil. Due to the act of playing tricks, he could not be allowed to go to heaven or hell. In return the devil condemned Jack to wander the earth forever with only a coal from hell. Jack took the coal and made a lantern from a turnip, using it to guide his lost soul. In full Jack-o’- Lantern isJack of the Lantern.

Years later, folks in Ireland and Scotland still used beets or turnips as lanterns on Halloween. The Irish placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday. Irish families fleeing the potato famine in the 1800s introduced Jack-o’-Lantern to America. Scarcity of turnips in the U.S. led to the use of pumpkins as a substitute to guide lost souls and keep evil spirits away.The name Jack-O’-Lantern can also be derived from the night watchman who would light the street lanterns every evening.

Halloween Black Creatures & Fixtures History Facts

Black Spiders, Cats, Scarecrows, Bats and Owls, are a common appearance on October 31. You have probably seen them in the Halloween costumes and they have also become themes for party food and treats. How are these creatures associated with Halloween? According to Buzzle.com, here is what they symbolize.

Black cats– As noted above the color black itself symbolizes darkness. Black-colored cats were thought to be recreations of living creatures. Since time immemorial black cats have been linked to witches. According to history, these creatures were used to protect the witches’ powers. It was actually believed that witches could convert themselves into black cats!  During the prehestoric celebration of Samhain, it is said that the Druids threw cats into a fire, every so often in cages made of cane. What was the reason behind this inhuman behavior? According to the Druid’s tradition, this was part of divination procedures. This explains the relationship of black cats and Halloween.

Spiders would usually appear in the haunted houses and graveyards. Will you stand it if a spider were to crawl on you? Most probably NO! Unless you are trained to handle these creatures. Naturally, human beings fear spider and the reason behind this is not clear. However, it is a fact that some species of living spiders can kill you. Examples of such spiders include Brown recluse and the black widow. It is their creepy and haunting nature that links them to Halloween.

Spiders also display some supernatural qualities which makes them a symbol of mystic energy. The fact that they can weave webs makes the spiders mystic. According to what’s your sign .com, the number 8 (derived from their 8 legs) symbolizes cycles i.e transition from summer to winter.

A spider was considered as witch’s chum during the middle ages. In the traditions of Halloween, seeing a spider during this festival signified that the spirit of a loved one was watching over you.

Bats and Owls– Lighting bonfires was common practice during the Halloween night. This was done in honor of the night of transitions. The bonfires attracted insects the very insects in return attracted bats and owls. Well, can you guess why the insects attracted these two night-flying creatures? Simply because insects served and until today serve as a very delicious meal for the owls and bats. Well this is the simple and basic history of the association between Halloween and bats and owls.

Digging deeper, bats are said to represent magic in the theme of Halloween. The also symbolize time of passing from one phase to another.

One old myth says that if a bat flew into a house during Halloween, it showed that the house was haunted.

On the other hand, owls , as what’s your sign .com puts it, have long been symbols of wisdom of an esoteric or hidden nature. At the same time, they have long-standing connection to the spirit side of life.

It was believed that an owl’s call near your home implied that someone was about to be laid to rest. In other words, it was a call of death and this in specific is what has made their association with Halloween stronger.

Halloween Scarecrows and Skeletons.

Scarecrows are the other fixtures that make an appearance during All Hallows Eve fixtures. They symbolize the ancient agricultural origins of Halloween.

Halloween Skeletons / skulls on the other hand are a physical representative of the remnants of life. The Druids and many other ancient cultures actually regarded skulls as the human whole’s psychic seat.

Witches and Halloween

Who is a witch? Somebody with alleged magic powers. Witches represent the supernatural. In the ancient times, witches were to handle anything to do with unseen energies. Their skills, perspectives and expertise were sought during this festival for help in understanding and interpreting messages from the non-physical side of life in addition to forecasts for the coming seasons.

Halloween Masks & Costumes History Facts

In the days of the Celtic Samhain festival, the Celts thought that spirits and ghosts wandered the streets on Halloween night. They began wearing costumes and masks to avoid being identified as human by the wandering evil spirits. Centuries later, Halloween partygoers still put on ridiculous and creepy getups to celebrate the holiday. And although trick-or-treating is generally reserved for kids, the National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that more than 51 million American adults also wore Halloween costumes in 2008…according to the reports the most popular costume for the adults was that of a witch.

Random &History Halloween Facts

1. Halloween, always celebrated on 31 October, is one of the oldest celebrations in the world, dating back over 2000 years to the time of the Celts who lived in Britain.This is the most obvious Halloween fact…though.
2. Halloween has varyingly been named Witches Night, All Hallows’ Eve,Snap-Apple Night, Lamswool,, Samhaim, The Day of the Dead, Summer’s End or Feast of the Dead  …and what is it in Welsh? Halloween in Welsh is ‘Nos Calan Gaeaf’.
3. Halloween was introduced to North America by immigrants from Europe. It was a common practice for the immigrants to celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, sing, share ghost stories, tell fortunes and dance.
4. Halloween is the 2nd most commercially successful holiday, with Christmas being the first.
5. The word “witch” comes from the Old English wicce, implying “wise woman.” In fact,wiccan were highly respected people at one time. According to popular belief, witches held one of their two main meetings, or sabbats, on Halloween night.
6. Probably you must have heard of bonfire. How did this come about. It all started in the pre-halloween festival of samhain. During this time,  bonfires were lit to make certain that the sun would come back after the long, hard winter. Time and again, the Druid priests would toss  bones of cattle into the flames and, therefore, “bone fire” became “bonfire.”
7. Ponoma, an old-fashioned Roman festival, is said to have an effect on Halloween. During this event the harvest goddess who had the same name as halloween was celebrated. A number of Halloween traditions and games that include apples (a good example of of such games is bobbing for apples) and nuts are linked to this period of time. As you might noticed above, Halloween has been named a Nutcrack Night or San-Apple Night in the past
8. Due to the idea that the Protestant England never believed in Catholic saints, the customs or rituals traditionally linked to Hallowmas (or Halloween) came to be associated with Guy Fawkes Night. November 5th was declared  Guy Fawkes Night in England. This night was meant to remember the seizure and execution of Guy Fawkes, who plotter to destroy the Parliament in the year 1605 so as to order to reinstate a Catholic king.
9. Young Scottish ladies believed they could see images of their future husband if they hung wet sheets in front of the fire on Halloween. Other girls believed they would see their boyfriend’s faces if they looked into mirrors while walking downstairs at midnight on Halloween.

Interesting Facts about Halloween-Fun, Trivia & Weird Facts

1. One of the most interesting Halloween facts in my own opinion is that there is a term for the fear of the Halloween and it called samhainphobia and currently it is the only holiday phobia in the medical literature!
2. Halloween is the 2nd most commercially successful holiday, with Christmas being the first.
3. Have you heard of Dia de los Muertos in Mexico? It is the Days of the Dead for the Mexicans. It is celebrated on November 1(All Saints’ Day) and November 2 (All Souls’ Day) in place of Halloween. During Halloween, individual disguise like ghouls  they will parade down along the street.
4. The Chinise call celebrate the Lantern Festival or Teng Chieh. During this celebration Lanterns in the shape of dragons and other animals  dangle around the streets and houses. These lanterns are believed to act a guide for the spirits back to their home here on earth.  Members of families leave behind water and food next to their ancestors’ potraits. This is their way of honoring their loved ones who died many years ago.
5. The “Festival of the Hungry Ghosts” or Yue Lan  is what Halloween celebrations are named in Hong Kong. At these celebrations, individual lit fires while at the same time offering gifts and food  to appease potentially angry ghosts who might be walking around and seeking to revenge.
6. As per this writing,  Salem, a coastal city in the County of Essex, Massachusetts, and Anoka in Minnesota, are the self-proclaimed or acknowledged world’s Halloween capitals.
7. The largest ever Halloween parade in the United States has been observed in New York City. It goes by the name The Village Halloween parade and it features over 50,000 participants and attracts not less than two million spectators.
8. In several countries, including Australia and France  October 31, is viewed as an unwanted and excessively  commercial  and of American influence. However Halloween is still celebrated in this regions of the world. This sounds weird. If they consider it commercial and American then they should not celebrate it.
9. Due to the fact that  there was just small amount of money to cater for the creation of the 1978’s movie by the name Halloween , the creators were forced to use the most low-priced mask they could get for the character Michael Meyers. The mask  became a William Shatner Star Trek mask. In the beginning, Shatner had no idea the mask was in his likeness, but when he discovered years later, he stated he was honored.
10. Until today, Halloween is still the Wiccan new year. Wiccans still celebrate Samhain as a New Year celebration today.

Halloween Facts 2014

What were the fact about last year’s Halloween? According to U.S Census Bereau News  and  National Retail Federation here are some facts about October 31, 2014

1. 41.2million was the estimated number of those who were to participate in trick-or-treating
2. 115 million was the number housing units which were to be stops for trick-treaters
3. Best places in the US that could put you the mood of Halloween included, Tombstone -Ariz, Kill Devils Hills-N.C, Sleepy Hollow- N.Y etc.
4. In the U.S, motion picture theaters (excluding drive-ins) where you could possibly enjoy a horrorfest totaled to 4,540
   • California- 519
   • Texas -297
   • New York -272
   • Florida-213
5. Halloween spending was estimated to reach $7.4 billion in the US alone.
6. 45.8% were expected to wear costumes while 14.3% were expected to dress up pets
7. Top Costumes; For adults, witch, animal and batman costumes topped the list while for children, princes, animal and spiderman topped the list.
   What about pet costumes? Funny and interesting enough, the pumpkin costume took number one. Othertop costumes included, hot dog and devil

Any fact fun, trivia, weird, interesting, history, facts about Halloween left out? We will appreciate your contribution.