24 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Halloween

Surprise! There’s more to this holiday than wearing a slutty costume.

1. The first jack-o’-lanterns were actually made from turnips.

Source: flickr.com  /  via: facts.randomhistory.com

2. Thousands of people suffer from Samhainophobia which is an irrational fear of Halloween.

Via: facts.randomhistory.com

3. The world’s largest pumpkin weighed in at 1,872 pounds.

Source: Handout  /  via: omg.yahoo.com

4. Halloween is the second highest grossing commercial holiday after Christmas.

Source: christmaswarmth.tumblr.com  /  via: facts.randomhistory.com

5. Americans purchase over 20 million pounds of Candy Corn each year.

Source: prettykittyknittycity.com  /  via: dailyinfographic.com

6. The number one candy of choice is Snickers

Source: blog.experts123.com  /  via: dailyinfographic.com

Followed by Reese’s, Kit-Kat’s and M&M’s.

Source: payfitnessforward.blogspot.com  /  via: dailyinfographic.com

7. It’s estimated that total Halloween spending could reach $8 billion in 2012.

That’s over $79 per household.

Source: blog.billy.com  /  via: news.yahoo.com

8. In Alabama it’s illegal to dress-up as a priest.

Source: allfancydress.com  /  via: smosh.com

9. In Hollywood there’s a $1,000 fine for using Silly String on Halloween.

Source: blogging.la  /  via: smosh.com

10. According to legend, if you see a spider on Halloween, it’s actually the spirit of a loved one watching over you.

Source: seasonsschange.tumblr.com  /  via: facts.randomhistory.com

11. October 30th is National Candy Corn Day.

Source: upload.wikimedia.org  /  via: strangecosmos.com

12. It’s is actually very rare for a full moon to occur on Halloween. Although, it’s predicted to occur on 10/31/2020.

It also happened in 1925, 1944, 1955, and 1974.

Source: dje1231.files.wordpress.com  /  via: jackolanterns.net

13. While pumpkins are typically orange, they can also be green, white, red and gray.

Source: 0.tqn.com  /  via: en.wikipedia.org

14. Ireland is believed to be the birthplace of Halloween.

It was originally a Celtic festival called Samhain which celebrated the harvest.

Source: limnology.org  /  via: facts.randomhistory.com

15. Willow Smith, Dan Rather, and Vanilla Ice were all born on October 31st.

16. Magician Harry Houdini died on Halloween.

Source: luckypalm.com  /  via: goingcrazywannago.com

17. In the UK white cats are thought to bring bad luck, not like black cats in the US.

Source: powerofthedarkness.tumblr.com  /  via: socyberty.com

18. Have leftover candy? Save it! Hard candy lasts for a year, while chocolate can last up to two.

Source: wellesleydentalgroup.com  /  via: glo.msn.com

19. Halloween can give you diarrhea. Seriously. Consuming too much candy with fructose and sorbitol can give you rhea.

Source: whatyoumakeit-coley.blogspot.com  /  via: io9.com

20. Barmbrack used to be a traditional food eaten on Halloween.

The bread contained various objects baked into it and was used as a sort of fortune-telling game.

Source: irishherault.wordpress.com  /  via: en.wikipedia.org

21. Contrary to popular belief, no one has put razor blades or poison in goodies for random trick-or-treaters.

The only documented cases have been pranks gone awry or parents poisoning their own children.

Source: life123.com  /  via: snopes.com

22. Many shelters don’t allow black cats to be adopted around Halloween for fear that they may be tortured or sacrificed.

Source: scenicreflections.com  /  via: dailymail.co.uk

23. More candy is sold on October 28th than any other day of the year.

The top five candy selling days of the year are all in October.

Source: mommyhatescooking.com  /  via: dailyinfographic.com

24. Finally, your ghost costume isn’t authentic unless you poop in it. Seriously, ghosts are believed to keep the same form they had at death and a side effects of death is involuntary defecation.

Source: halloweencostumes.com  /  via: cracked.com

BONUS: Ever curious about what to do with your leftover pumpkins?

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=UcT4paZfflg.

(H/T Dave)