Getting closer! One of the most anticipated holidays of the year.
It’s easy to see why Halloween is one of the most beloved holidays of the year, so let’s look at ten things about October 31 that make your hair stand on end.
I hope you like it and of course don’t forget to go to a haunted house, carve pumpkins and grab your annual supply of candy!
10 things you didn’t know about it
1. Once upon a time.
Believe it or not, the birthplace of Halloween is not a sugar factory: the holiday has been around for around 6,000 years and is believed to have originated in 4000 BC in Ireland.
2. Alive or dead.
Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival of “Samhain,” the celebration of the end of the harvest season. At that time, the Gaels believed that during October 31 the boundaries between the world of the living and the world of the dead became a little blurred, the dead came back to life and wreaked havoc on the living. A way to scare the dead? Wear costumes and masks.
3. Show me the money.
Just after Christmas, Halloween is the second most commercial holiday in the United States, according to the NRF (National Retail Federation) it is estimated that in 2017 a record of 9.1 billion dollars will be spent, most of it on candy, costumes and parties. A surprisingly large amount is also spent on pet costumes.
4. What does the Titanic have to do with it?
Of the $9.1 billion spent annually in the United States, $2.7 billion is spent on candy alone. How many sweets can you buy with that money? Approximately 224 million kilos, which is equivalent to 6 ships like the Titanic.
5. Let’s talk about sugar.
“Trick or treating” – known in Mexico as asking for a “calaverita” – can be a delicious endeavor: children consume approximately 7,000 calories on Halloween (you would have to eat 66 bananas to reach 7,000 calories).
6. A big pumpkin.
The heaviest pumpkin in the world was grown in a Swiss orchard: it weighed 782.31 kilos, as much as a small car.
7. Halloween colors.
The colors of Halloween are orange, which represents autumn, and black, which represents darkness and death.
8. Follow the rules.
In reality, trick-or-treating is only for children: some cities in the United States have even gone so far as to ban children over 12 from this activity. In some places, teens who cheat and perform trick-or-treating can face a fine of up to $1,000. Surely 7,000 calories of candy isn’t worth that fine!
9. You’ve (probably) spelled it wrong all the time.
And yes, us too. The correct spelling of Halloween is actually Hallowe’en
10. Black Cats.
It is said that it is bad luck for a black cat to cross your path, particularly on Halloween. It is thought that this superstition originated with the arrival of the Pilgrims to the United States and their Puritan beliefs.
