Halloween is one of the most popular holidays. As October ends, waves of black, purple and orange extend everywhere. This popular celebration started with a Celtic tradition. According to them, on October 31, the dead could return at night to ask for food from the frightened inhabitants of the town, whom they made victims of their spells if they did not accede to their requests.
It is a holiday that can be shared with friends, participate in costume contests and even for a night crammed to eat candy and cakes without guilt. To inject some more dose of fun to this day, we present these facts:
1. The word “Halloween” derives from the English expression All Hallows’ Eve. This custom expanded to the United States through the Irish.
2. It is the second highest grossing commercial holiday after Christmas. The candy industry in America rakes in an average of $2 billion annually thanks to Halloween. According to a survey of History.com, Americans spend an estimated USD$6 billion on Halloween annually, including candy, costumes, and decorations. (The most commercial holiday in the U.S. is obviously Christmas.)
3. The tradition of Trick-or-treating evolved from the old custom Celtics had of leaving treats and food out to placate spirits who roamed the streets and Samhain, a festival considered secret that marked the end of the Celtic calendar year.
4. Halloween is thought to have originated around 4000 b.C., which means the celebration has been around for more than 6,000 years.
5. The word “witch” comes from the Old English wicce, which means “wise woman.” Indeed, they were highly respected people. The popular belief was that witches held one of their two main meeting, known as sabbats, on Halloween night.
6. The symbols of Halloween aren’t random. Bats, spiders and black cats have a tie to Wiccans. In fact, all three were thought to be the familiars of witches in the middle ages.
7. There is a record for the world’s fastest pumpkin carving, held by Stephen Clarke, who carved a pumpkin in 24.03 seconds, smashing his previous record of 54.72 seconds. The rules of the competition state that the pumpkin shouldn’t weigh more than 24 pounds and it should be carved in a traditional way containing no less than eyes, ears, nose and a mouth.
8. Halloween is greatly associated with two colors: black and orange. Typically, black is a symbol of death and darkness and represents a reminder of how Halloween was once a festival that marked the boundaries between life and death. Orange, on the other hand, is a symbol of strength and endurance.
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