10 hair-raising Halloween facts!

The nights are getting darker and there’s a chill in the air… spooky season is here! People all over the world are getting ready to celebrate Halloween – but how much do you really know about this frightful festival? Discover ten awesome Halloween facts below!

1. Halloween happens every year on 31 October.

Most Halloween celebrations in Europe and North America today are non-religious – but the holiday actually has religious and pagan roots. The word ‘Halloween’ comes from ‘All Hallows’ Eve‘ – the night before a Christian festival called All Hallows’ (or All Saints’) Day, which honours the saints of the church.

2. It began with a Celtic festival called Samhain.

Many Halloween traditions started with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (say “sow-wen”), which was celebrated over 2,000 years ago in the UK, Ireland and other parts of Northern Europe.

During Samhain, people believed the gap between our world and the world of the gods was blurred. That made it easier for the spirits of the dead to return, and for mischievous gods to come to Earth and play tricks on people! To protect themselves from mischief and bad luck, Celtic people offered food and gifts to please the gods and spirits.

3. People once carved turnips, not pumpkins.

This tradition began in Ireland, inspired by a myth about a trickster called Stingy Jack. Legend had it that Jack tricked the Devil – and as punishment, he wasn’t allowed into heaven OR hell after death. Instead, he had to wander Earth for eternity. Yikes! The Devil left him with a glowing ember, which he placed inside a carved-out turnip to light his way.

Irish people began making their own ‘Jack o’ Lanterns‘ from turnips to scare away spirits. Then in the 1800s, many Irish families emigrated to the USA, where pumpkins were easier to buy than turnips – and the rest is Halloween history!

4. Dressing up is an ancient tradition!

Costumes are nothing new – they go all the way back to Samhain! The Celts believed that on this night, the souls of the dead returned home. To confuse any harmful spirits, people wore disguises and lit bonfires for protection.

5. Trick-or-treating has medieval roots.

The modern idea of collecting sweets became popular in the USA in the 1950s, but it’s based on older customs. In England, a Christian tradition called souling saw people go door to door on 1 November to receive food or specially-baked ‘soul cakes‘ in exchange for prayers.

Another practice, guising, involved young people dressing up and performing songs or jokes in return for treats. Sound familiar?

6. This festival was once about love!

Apple bobbing – a fun Halloween game where players use their teeth to pick up apples from a bucket of water – once had a romantic twist! Each apple had a name written on it, and whoever grabbed their apple in one bite was said to find true love.

Meanwhile in Scotland, couples tested their love by burning hazelnuts together on Halloween night. If the nuts burned quietly, it meant a lasting match. But if they hissed or exploded – uh-oh! Bad luck in love!

7. Halloween isn’t the only spooky celebration.

All over the world, people celebrate festivals that honour the dead or mark the changing seasons at different times of the year. In Mexico, there’s Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), when families remember loved ones with flowers, food and colourful decorations.

And in China, during the Zhongyuan Festival (aka ‘Hungry Ghost Festival’!), people offer meals to wandering spirits, light lanterns to guide their ancestors, and enjoy outdoor performances where the front rows are often left empty in honour of the spirits.

8. Black cats aren’t bad luck.

In the Middle Ages, some Europeans thought witches had black cats as helpers – or even turned into cats themselves! That’s how the myth of black cats bringing bad luck began.

But it’s just a superstition. No matter what colour they are, cats can’t cause bad luck. In fact, black cats might be lucky – scientists think the same gene that makes their fur black could help them fight off infections. How cool is that?

Bonus fact! Why do we love being scared?
When you get a fright, your brain releases adrenaline — a chemical that makes your heart race and your senses sharpen. That’s why spooky stories or haunted houses can feel exciting and scary at the same time!

9. Zombies don’t really exist… except in nature!

Believe it or not, there’s a real ‘zombie’ fungus! The Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus is a parasite that infects ants and takes control of their bodies. It makes them leave their nest and climb to a humid spot where the fungus thrives. Once it has fed on the ant and killed it, the fungus spreads to its next victim. Creepy – and totally true!

10. Halloween is fun – but the monster amount of waste it makes isn’t!

In 2019, UK charities Hubbub and the Fairyland Trust found that around 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste were created from Halloween costumes and decorations every year. That’s the equivalent of 83 million plastic bottles!

But don’t fear – there are loads of ways to make your celebration planet-friendly. You could scour the charity shops for costumes, make one from old clothes and recyclable materials like cardboard, or swap outfits with friends. When you’re done, save your costume for next year, recycle it or donate it to someone else.

You could also make your own paper decorations and eat the tasty insides of pumpkins to avoid food waste (click here for ideas!). Plus, share this Halloween fact with your friends and inspire them to go green, too!

Which Halloween fact surprised you the most? Tell us in the comments below – then tell a friend!

Images © Adobe Stock.