Fun Facts about Halloween

Halloween has a special place in our hearts. The memories of dressing up as a witch, a doctor, a favorite sports figure come back to visit once a year. And who doesn’t love a bit of candy? Halloween has an interesting history and wasn’t even popularized around the United States until the 2nd half of the 19th century. So, what are some other fun facts about Halloween that we can use to impress our friends and family come October 31?

  • Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween. The name comes from the pre-cursor of Halloween, the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “SAH-win”).
  • During Samhain, bonfires were lit to ensure the sun would return after the long, hard winter and to ward off spirits. Druids threw the bones of cows into the fires and, “bone fire” became “bonfire”.
  • The ancient Celtics disguised themselves as demons and spirits to escape the notice of real spirits on this night.
  • The ancient Celtics put out treats and food to placate the spirits roaming on this night. Trick-or-treating is the modern version of this practice.
  • Orange and black are associated with Halloween based on its timing: the end of summer/harvest and beginning of winter. Orange symbolizes strength and endurance and stands for the harvest and autumn. Black is a symbol of death and darkness and stands for winter, which was associated with death.
  • The first Jack O’Lanterns were made from turnips.
  • The candy, most associated with Halloween, Candy Corn, was first created in the 1880s and was originally called “Chicken Feed”.
  • The least healthy Halloween candy is Candy Corn based on 22 grams of sugar per serving. The healthiest Halloween candy is Hershey’s Special Dark.

We hope you have fond memories of Halloween and continue the traditions today. If you need some jewelry to mark this occasion, stop in to Bridgewaters!