Origins & History
On what date is Halloween celebrated?
31 October
Which vegetable was used for early Irish lanterns?
Turnips
Who wrote Dracula?
Bram Stoker
What do North American children collect when trick-or-treating?
Sweets / candy
What animal is sometimes considered unlucky but lucky in other places?
A black cat
Which ancient communities celebrated Samhain?
The Celts / Celtic people
What is a carved, lit pumpkin called?
A jack-o'-lantern
In what year was Dracula published?
1897
What is the name of the Irish Halloween fruitcake?
Barmbrack
Which fruit is used in bobbing games?
Apples
What season had just ended at Samhain?
Autumn / the harvest season
Who tricked the Devil in an Irish legend?
Stingy Jack
What happens to a werewolf in many stories during a full moon?
It turns into a wolf
What did a ring hidden in barmbrack traditionally predict?
A wedding / marriage
Which Halloween colour is connected with the harvest?
Orange
What does All Hallows' Eve mean in the calendar?
The evening before All Saints' Day
What did Jack carry inside his hollow turnip?
A burning coal
What do most real bats eat, according to the text?
Insects or fruit
On which two dates is Día de los Muertos mainly celebrated?
1 and 2 November
What does black suggest in Halloween decorations?
Night / mystery / darkness
Which immigrants helped bring Halloween customs to North America in the nineteenth century?
Irish immigrants
Why did pumpkins replace turnips in North America?
They were bigger and easier to carve
Why might bats have gathered near old festival fires?
The fires attracted insects for bats to eat
What are Mexican remembrance displays called?
Ofrendas
What word is sometimes used for an intense fear of Halloween?
Samhainophobia