Halloween originated in Ireland, and the custom was spread around the world by Irish immigrants who left Ireland mainly during the so-called Great Famine. ¹⁾

The tradition of Halloween stems from the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain when people would burn bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. ²⁾

It was believed that on this day the boundaries between the world of the living and the dead were blurred. For fear of evil spirits, various disgusting disguises were worn to ward them off. ³⁾

Why is pumpkin the symbol of Halloween? It's because of the old Irish legend about a man named Jack, who didn't go to heaven after his death. As a punishment, Jack had to walk around the world with a lantern until Judgement Day. ⁴⁾

On this day witches, accompanied by black cats predicted the future. ⁵⁾

In 1937, the city of Anoka became the Halloween capital of the world. ⁶⁾

In Ireland, the rule is that wild fruit is not picked after November 1, as it can be poisoned. ⁷⁾

Originally, the scary faces were carved not in pumpkins but in turnips. ⁸⁾

According to old superstitions, if on Halloween day a bachelor looks in the mirror at midnight, he will see his future spouse. ⁹⁾

The word Halloween appeared in the dictionary in the 1700s. ¹⁰⁾

Despite the similarities, Halloween and the Mexican Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) are two very different holidays. While Halloween is associated with the fear of death, Día de los Muertos celebrates and praises death. ¹¹⁾

The people of the Philippine province of Pampanga celebrate the festival of Pangangaluluwà from October 29 to 31. According to tradition, children go from door to door singing songs about the souls in purgatory and asking for alms meant for the solemn masses. ¹²⁾

The Celts feared that on Halloween one might run into a ghost that strolled the earth that day. To avoid recognition, people would don masks after dark, hoping that the spirits would take them for other stray souls. ¹³⁾

Right after Christmas, Halloween is the most commercialized holiday in the United States. Americans spend about $6.9 billion on it, most of which goes to candy, costumes, and parties. Surprisingly, a fair amount of money is spent on pet costumes. ¹⁴⁾

The average American eats about 3.4 pounds of candy during Halloween, the weight of a chihuahua in a Halloween costume. ¹⁵⁾

Are you afraid of Halloween? This could be a sign of Samhainophobia - a fear of Halloween. ¹⁶⁾