There is no better time than the holidays to reflect on your childhood—and, to a point, even become a kid again yourself. Aside from Christmas, one holiday provides a childhood aura more than any other: Halloween.
As you look back on the good ol’ days and even relive them, here are some interesting facts about Halloween. Feel free to share them with your kids, grandkids, friends, and fellow Beacon Hill residents.
A Big Money Maker. Halloween’s hype simply can’t be ignored. It seems that every kid wants to trick or treat. But did you know just how popular it actually is? According to the National Retail Federation, it’s the United States’ second biggest commercial holiday. $13.1 billion is expected to be spent on Halloween this year alone!
All Hallows? Many believe that Halloween’s name is derived from All Hallow’s Eve. After all, it’s annually celebrated on October 31st, the evening prior to All Saints’ Day, a Christian holiday that honors saints.
An Irish and Scottish Holiday. Did you know that Halloween’s roots are tied to Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival? This festival was mainly celebrated in Ireland and Scotland, likely 2,000 years ago, at least.
Bobbing for Apples. As a child (or maybe even as an adult), you may have bobbed for apples at least once before. Did you ever wonder what led to this interesting tradition to begin with? It appears that ancient Rome created it, while celebrating Pomona, the goddess of fruit trees and orchards.
Do the Monster Mash. In 1962, Bobby “Boris” Pickett released what many consider the first-ever Halloween classic: “Monster Mash.” A number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 that year, it has since become a timeless song. Your grandkids have probably even listened to it before!
Full Moons. According to NASA, there is a full moon on Halloween once every 19 years, on average. In fact, since October is 31 days long, whenever a full moon occurs on Halloween, it’s known as a blue moon. Why? Usually, there is only one full moon each month—whenever there are two, it’s a rarity, literally a “once in a blue moon” occurrence.
Lights Out…Everyone Home? YouGov has found that roughly 20% of adults pretend they’re not home on Halloween night. Why? They prefer to avoid passing out candy to trick-or-treaters. You have a chance to join the other 80% this Halloween!
Speed is the Name of the Game. On Halloween 2013, Stephen Clarke carved an entire pumpkin in 16.47 seconds. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the pumpkin had a complete face, including ears, eyes, a mouth and a nose.
The Big Apple. Everyone has likely heard of New York City’s annual Thanksgiving parade. But they may not know about The Big Apple’s Halloween parade. A yearly tradition too, it’s the United States’ largest Halloween parade. If you’re able to, consider traveling to see it live sometime!
The Pumpkin State. If you buy your pumpkins from your nearby grocery store, they may not have been grown in Michigan. Instead, they were likely grown in Illinois, the United States’ pumpkin capital. According to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois harvests at least twice as many pumpkins as the next five leading states do—combined.
There’s Nothing Like Reese’s. Instacart has found that Reese’s are the most popular Halloween candy. From there, Peanut M&M’s, M&M’s, Kit Kats, and Snickers are ranked the next four most popular candies. Simply put, t’s hard to beat the taste of chocolate!
Turnips or Pumpkins? Originally a Celtric tradition, jack-o’-lanterns weren’t originally carved out of pumpkins. Instead, they were carved out of turnips. Eventually, this tradition led to modern-day jack-o’-lanterns—pumpkins carved with all types of faces.
As shown, there is no other day quite like Halloween. It’s fun, a bit scary, and certainly unique.
Be sure to enjoy the day to its fullest, whether you’re spending time with friends, grandkids, or Beacon Hill residents!
