Halloween History
What holiday was initially celebrated in the US that began some of our Halloween traditions?
Samhain (In Scotland), celebrated by Scottish immigrants.
With pointed fangs, I sit and wait
With piercing force, I dole out fate
Over bloodless victims, I proclaim my might
I can eternally join with a single bite.
DRACULA!
...or a stapler.
Which groups brought Halloween superstitions and mischief to the US in the 19th century?
True or False: Americans consume over 600 million pounds of candy each year on Halloween.
FALSE! Americans BUY over 600 million pounds of candy on Halloween.
Paranormal investigators and demonologists Lorraine and Ed Warren are summoned to the home of Carolyn and Roger Perron. The Perrons and their five daughters have recently moved into a secluded farmhouse, where a supernatural presence has made itself known.
The Conjuring (2013)
What root vegetable did people carve to celebrate Samhain?
Turnips! (also potatoes or beets)
I protect, I stand tall
my purpose is to strike fear in all.
What am I?
A scarecrow.
Strung ropes across sidewalks to trip people in the dark, tied the doorknobs of opposing apartments together, mowed down shrubs, upset beer barrels, rattled or soaped windows are all examples of:
Early Halloween Pranks
What candy was first called "chicken feed"?
Candy Corn
Teenager Nancy Thompson must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer with a bladed glove in their dreams, in which if they die, it kills them in real life.
Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Trick or Treating began in the US in...
The 1930s-40s.
Each morning I appear to lie at your feet. All day I will follow no matter how fast you run, yet I nearly perish in the midday sun.
Your shadow.
When did early Halloween pranks become problematic?
In the early 20th century, when people moved into larger cities.
What is the #1 selling candy on Halloween in the US?
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Jack Torrance becomes winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado, hoping to cure his writer's block.
The Shining (1980)
Why did trick-or-treating become a "thing"?
To prevent dangerous pranks and youth antics!
I have a body, arms, legs and a head, but I’m heartless and have no guts. What am I?
A skeleton.
What are two names that came from the attempted rebranding of Halloween in the 1950s and 60s to reduce the number of tricks?
Conservation Day, Youth Honor Day, Unicef Day.
Which state in the US buys the most Halloween candy?
Utah!
Photographer Adam Stanheight and oncologist Lawrence Gordon regain consciousness while chained to pipes at either end of a filthy bathroom.
Saw (2004)
Where did the jack-o-lantern get its name?
It's the original name for a lantern lighter.
How do you spell candy in two letters?
C and Y
When is the earliest mention of "trick or treat" in US media?
In the late 1930s, the phrase appeared in The American Home.
How much have Americans spent this year on Halloween candy? Hint: it's in the billions
3.9 billion dollars! (source: New York Times)
Summoned to a bloodthirsty vampire's faraway castle, a young land clerk embarks on a harrowing journey into the unknown as his innocent wife falls under the spell of a terrifying shadow in her dreams.
Nosferatu (1929)