Halloween
What orange vegetable is commonly carved into a jack-o'-lantern?
A pumpkin.
What orange vegetable is often used to make pumpkin pie?
Pumpkin.
What country is strongly associated with the early development of Halloween traditions from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain?
Ireland.
True or false: Bats are blind.
False! Many bats can see, and some also use echolocation to navigate.
Samhain is traditionally associated with which season: spring or the transition from autumn into winter?
The transition from autumn into winter.
What do children traditionally say when they go door to door on Halloween?
“Trick or treat!”
Which fruit is traditionally picked at orchards in the fall and can be used to make cider?
Apples.
Before pumpkins became popular for carving, what root vegetable was traditionally carved in parts of Ireland and Scotland?
Turnips.
True or false: Black cats are naturally unlucky.
False! That is a superstition, not a fact.
Samhain comes from the traditions of which broad cultural group?
The ancient Celts.
Which Halloween creature is famous for turning into a bat in many stories?
A vampire.
What is the name for the gathering of ripe crops from fields?
Harvesting, or the harvest.
What ancient Celtic festival marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter?
Samhain.
What is the name for an intense fear of Halloween?
Samhainophobia.
What was one important reason ancient communities celebrated the end of the harvest?
To mark the end of the growing season and prepare for winter.
What sweet treat is traditionally associated with apples dipped in a sugary coating on a stick?
A candy apple.
What three colors are especially associated with autumn leaves in New York?
Red, orange, and yellow.
Halloween takes place on October 31. What Christian holiday is observed on November 1?
All Saints’ Day.
True or false: The largest pumpkins can weigh more than a small car.
True! Giant pumpkins can weigh well over 1,000 pounds, though most do not weigh as much as a car.
What is a bonfire?
A large outdoor fire, often lit for a gathering or celebration.
What is the name for a person who makes or sells magical potions in many Halloween stories?
A witch.
What traditional Thanksgiving decoration is shaped like a horn and filled with fruits and vegetables?
A cornucopia.
In what decade did trick-or-treating become especially popular across the United States after World War II?
The 1940s, especially the late 1940s.
What is the scientific name for the fear of spiders?
Arachnophobia.
Why is Samhain often discussed when explaining Halloween's origins?
Because some Halloween traditions developed from or were influenced by ancient Celtic seasonal customs associated with Samhain.