| 1. Halloween is held on October 31st which is the last | | | | to be trick-or-treating. The packages contained items |
| day of the Celtic calender. | | | | such as steel wool, dog biscuits and ant buttons |
| 2. The Halloween custom has evolved from the | | | | (which were clearly labelled with the word "poison"). |
| ancient Celts belief that the border between this | | | | Though nobody was injured, she was prosecuted |
| world and "the Otherworld" becomes thin on | | | | and pleaded guilty to endangering children. |
| All-Hallows-Eve. People wore costumes to disguise | | | | 27. In 1970, the New York Times published an article |
| themselves and avoid harm. | | | | that claimed that "those Halloween goodies that |
| 3. The day after Halloween is called All Saints Day. | | | | children collect this weekend on their rounds of 'trick |
| Christians dedicate this day to all those saints who | | | | or treating' may bring them more horror than |
| don't have a special day of their own. | | | | happiness". It provided examples of potential |
| 4. All hallows is another way to say all saints. | | | | tamperings. The examples were speculative but led |
| All-Hallows-Eve means the night before All-Saints Day. | | | | to a ground swell of fear. |
| 5. The first evidence of the use of the word | | | | 28. By the 1980s, US and Canadian parents fear that |
| Halloween comes from Scotland in the early 16th | | | | trick or treating children could eat compromised |
| century. It was slang for All-Hallows-Eve. | | | | candy reached a peak. In 1985, an ABC News |
| 6. The colours orange and black represent Halloween | | | | Washington Post poll that found 60% of parents |
| because orange is the colour of pumpkins (and | | | | feared that their children would be injured or killed |
| autumn) and black is associated with death. | | | | because of Halloween candy sabotage. |
| 7. The tradition of carving a jack o' lantern started in | | | | 29. Apart from one incident-actually an act of |
| the United Kingdom. They were carved on All Hallows | | | | premeditated murder by a trick-or-treater's |
| Eve and left on the door step to ward off evil spirits. | | | | father-there have been no recorded incidents of |
| 8. The original jack o' lanterns were carved from a | | | | malicious and deliberate tampering of candy during |
| swede or a turnip. | | | | Halloween. |
| 9. Jack o' lanterns were named after the | | | | 30. In 1970, a 5-year-old boy from the Detroit area |
| phenomenon of strange light flickering over peat | | | | found and ate heroin his uncle had stashed. The boy |
| bogs. | | | | died following a four day coma. The family |
| 10. Carving gourds into elaborately decorated lanterns | | | | attempted to protect the uncle by claiming the drug |
| dates back thousands of years to Africa. They were | | | | had been sprinkled in the child's Halloween candy. |
| intentionally brought to the New World via prehistoric | | | | 31. In 2008, candy was found with metal shavings |
| migration through Asia. | | | | and metal blades embedded in it. The candy was |
| 11. A record for the most simultaneously lit jack o' | | | | Pokemon Valentine's Day lollipops purchased from a |
| lanterns was set on October 21, 2006 when 30,128 | | | | Dollar General store in Polk County, Florida. The candy |
| jack-o'-lanterns were simultaneously lit on Boston | | | | was determined to have been manufactured in China |
| Common. | | | | with faulty equipment. |
| 12. The world's largest jack o' lantern was carved | | | | 32. In the U.S, Halloween accounts for 25% of the |
| from the world's largest pumpkin (at the time) on | | | | year's candy sales. |
| October 31, 2005 in Northern Cambria, Pennsylvania, | | | | 33. In the U.S, nearly $2 billion is spent each year on |
| United States by Scott Cully. The pumpkin weighed | | | | Halloween candy. |
| 1,469 lb (666.33 kg), | | | | 34. Candy corn is the most popular Halloween candy. |
| 13. Today the record for the world's largest pumpkin | | | | 35. Candy corn was created by the U.S Wunderlee |
| is held by Nick and Kristy Harp whose pumpkin | | | | Candy company in the 1880's. |
| weighed in at 1,725 lbs (782.45 kg). | | | | 36. Snickers bars are the most popular candy bar sold |
| 14. Trick-or-treating is the Halloween custom where | | | | on Halloween. |
| children dressed in costume go door to door asking | | | | 37. Snickers bars were created in 1930 by the Mars |
| for candy with the question, "trick or treat?" The | | | | family. They named it after their family horse. |
| "trick" is a (usually idle) threat to perform mischief on | | | | 38. Research conducted by the U.S National Retail |
| the home-owners or their property if no treat is | | | | Federation found that in 2005 - 53% of Americans |
| given. | | | | bought a Halloween costume, spending an average of |
| 15. Many people believe, trick or treating evolved | | | | $38. |
| from the Middle Ages custom of giving freshly baked | | | | 39. The first mass produced Halloween costumes |
| soul cakes to children who went door to door on | | | | appeared in the 1930's in the U.S. |
| All-Hallows-Eve offering prayers. | | | | 40. Originally Halloween costumes were scary |
| 16. It was believed that each soul cake eaten | | | | characters like vampires, ghosts, skeletons, witches |
| represented a soul being freed from purgatory. | | | | and devils. |
| 17. In Sweden, children dress up as witches and go | | | | 41. Today, Halloween costumes are often inspired by |
| trick-or-treating on Maundy Thursday (the Thursday | | | | science fiction, television, cinema, cartoons and pop |
| before Easter). | | | | culture. |
| 18. In Northern Germany, Norway and Southern | | | | 42. According to the U.S National Retail Federation |
| Denmark children dress up in costumes and go | | | | the most popular Halloween costume themes for |
| trick-or-treating on New Year's Eve in a tradition | | | | adults are, in order: witch, pirate, vampire, cat, and |
| called"Rummelpott". | | | | clown. |
| 19. In Scotland, children are only supposed to receive | | | | 43. In 2009, the most popular Halloween character |
| treats if they perform tricks for the households they | | | | for Adults and Children was Michael Jackson. Michael |
| go to. This normally takes the form of singing a song | | | | Jackson died on June 25, 2009. |
| or reciting a funny poem. | | | | 44. In 1966, The TV series Batman was so popular, a |
| 20. For a number of years (in the late 19th century | | | | fabric company issued patterns for costumes. |
| and early 20th century) Halloween in the U.S became | | | | 45. Apple bobbing is a traditional Halloween game. The |
| synonymous with vandalism. | | | | game is played by filling a tub or a large basin with |
| 21. In 1912, Boy Scout clubs and other community | | | | water and putting apples in the water. Because |
| organisations came together to encourage a safe | | | | apples are less dense than water, they will float. |
| Halloween celebration. School posters at this time | | | | Players then try to catch one with their teeth. |
| called for a "Sane Halloween". | | | | 46. Apple bobbing is becoming less popular, possibly |
| 22. In an effort to prevent damage to their | | | | because more and more people regard it as |
| properties, householders began to offer children | | | | unsanitary. |
| treats if they promised not to play "tricks". | | | | 47. Girls who place the apple they bobbed under their |
| 23. By the end of the 1930's trick or treating had | | | | pillows are said to dream of their future lover. |
| become widespread. | | | | 48. On 19 February, 2008, New Yorker, Ashrita |
| 24. Research done by the U.S National Confectioners | | | | Furman, bobbed 33 apples in one minute to establish |
| association in 2005 revealed that 80% of adults and | | | | a world record. |
| 93% of children went trick or treating on Halloween. | | | | 49. Agatha Christie's mystery novel, "Hallowe'en |
| 25. The first screen depiction of Trick or Treating | | | | Party" is about a girl who is drowned in an |
| was in Disney's cartoon, "Trick or Treating". In this | | | | apple-bobbing tub. |
| cartoon Huey, Duey and Louie try to trick their Uncle, | | | | 50. New York City hosts the United States' largest |
| Donald Duck into giving them candy. | | | | Halloween celebration, known as The Village |
| 26. In 1964 a New York housewife annoyed by | | | | Halloween Parade. The evening parade attracts over |
| Halloween started giving out packages of inedible | | | | two million spectators and participants. |
| objects to children whom she believed were too old | | | | |