Halloween can sometimes be a controversial “holiday”. Some people embrace the opportunity to dress up as someone else and indulge in more scandalous pursuits and others tut their displeasure at another over-commercialized event. For some it is the one day of the year in which candy is no longer a regulated substance and the key becomes avoiding a diabetic coma. However you feel, the reality is that Halloween has become part of the global consciousness and is celebrated in countries all over the world. Fun, scary, sugar-packed, pumpkin-filled, costume-wearing, decoration crazy as it may be, it is hard to avoid.
So whether you are already planning your costume or planning your escape, these unbelievable facts will make you look at Halloween in a whole different light (and you can really impress people with your knowledge!)
Because the movie Halloween (1978) was on such a tight budget, they had to use the cheapest mask they could find for the character Michael Meyers, which turned out to be a William Shatner Star Trek mask. Shatner initially didn’t know the mask was in his likeness, but when he found out years later, he said he was honored
Even in the Middle Ages, the poor would dress up in costume for Hallowmas and go around houses begging. They were often given a Soul Cake, which was a small round cake that was said to release a soul from purgatory when eaten.
Wacky pumpkin carving of Jack-O-Lanterns actually comes from a Celtic folk tale of a stingy farmer named Jack who would constantly play tricks on the devil. The devil responded by forcing him to wander purgatory with only a burning lump of coal from hell. Jack took the coal and made a lantern from a turnip, using it to guide his lost soul.
A full moon on Halloween is extremely rare, the last one was in 2001 and before that in 1955. The next one is due on 2020 though…..
Reportedly, Halloween originated over 2,000 years ago with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off the ghosts of the dead who would return to earth. They celebrated their New Year on 1st November and it was believed that on the night before ‘All Hallows Eve’ the boundary between the living and the dead become blurred.
Enigma that he was, Harry Houdini (1874-1926) was one of the most famous and mysterious magicians who ever lived. Strangely enough, he died in 1926 on Halloween night as a result of appendicitis brought on by three stomach punches
The original Jack-O-Lanterns, coming from the Irish tradition, were carved from Turnips, but when the Irish settlers in the US discovered the vegetables weren’t as easy to come by, the lowly pumpkin began its reign as the Halloween symbol.
Halloween celebrations in Hong Kong are known as Yue Lan or the “Festival of the Hungry Ghosts” during which fires are lit and food and gifts are offered to placate potentially angry ghosts who might be looking for revenge
Ever wondered why the Halloween colors are Orange and Black? It is because Orange is the color of fall and black the color of death. Nice, huh?
Going back two centuries, if you went trick or treating, your costume would have most commonly involved wearing animal skins and heads. (We’re quite glad that tradition died down….we like Harry Potter much better!)
Halloween is correctly spelt as Hallowe’en
On Halloween, if you see a spider, it is said that it is actually the spirit of a dead loved one looking out for you.
Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween
The largest pumpkin ever measured was grown by Norm Craven, who broke the world record in 1993 with a 836 lb. pumpkin.
So if there is one thing the evolution of Halloween has brought us, it is the chance to have an amazing party! Here at Joi, we want to make sure you have the best time ever, so our Halloween selection includes plenty of party favors, creepy surprises, terrifying gifts and devilishly delicious treats……
