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Halloween originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, where people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. The festival marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter, a time of year often associated with death.
Jack-o'-lanterns were originally carved from turnips, not pumpkins! The tradition of carving vegetables into lanterns dates back centuries in Ireland and Scotland. Pumpkins became popular for carving after Irish immigrants brought the tradition to North America.
The world's largest pumpkin weighed 2,624.6 pounds! It was grown by Mathias Willemijns of Belgium in 2016. Pumpkins can grow to enormous sizes under the right conditions, often exceeding 1000 pounds.
Halloween is the second highest grossing commercial holiday after Christmas. It's a major event for retailers, with billions spent on costumes, decorations, candy, and other Halloween-related products each year.
The fear of Halloween is known as Samhainophobia. For some people, Halloween can be a source of anxiety or fear, especially if they have phobias related to darkness, ghosts, or other spooky elements associated with the holiday.
Trick or treating has its origins in the medieval practice of "souling," when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls' Day (November 2).