Halloween!
What two words describe the traditional Halloween activity of going door to door for candy?
Trick-or-treating.
What fruit is used to make traditional applesauce?
Apples.
Which country is famous for the legend of Dracula, a fictional vampire associated with Transylvania?
Romania.
True or false: A spider is an insect.
False! Spiders are arachnids and have eight legs.
What season's end was Samhain traditionally associated with?
The harvest season.
What creature is often said to howl at the moon in spooky stories?
A werewolf.
What orange squash is often roasted, mashed, or used in autumn soups?
Butternut squash.
What was the original purpose of a scarecrow?
To frighten birds away from crops.
What do you call a group of bats?
A colony.
Samhain is linked to the history of which modern holiday?
Halloween.
In the classic Halloween story, what vegetable is placed inside a jack-o'-lantern to create its glow?
A candle or other light source. (The pumpkin itself is the carved vegetable!)
What is the name of the large, round vegetable often used to carve faces for Halloween?
A pumpkin.
What famous New York City parade is held annually on Halloween?
The Village Halloween Parade.
True or false: All mushrooms are safe to eat if they are cooked.
False! Some poisonous mushrooms remain dangerous even after cooking.
What does the word “Celtic” refer to in the context of Samhain?
Peoples and cultures associated with Celtic languages and traditions.
What is the name of the friendly ghost created by Harvey Comics?
Casper.
Which Thanksgiving side dish is traditionally made by mashing a root vegetable that is often orange?
Mashed sweet potatoes.
What year was the first Frankenstein novel by Mary Shelley published?
1818.
What is the name of the phenomenon in which a person feels as if they have seen a ghost, often because of shadows, low light, or mistaken perception?
There isn't one single scientific name for every such experience. Misperception or a visual illusion can explain some cases.
What is the name for the belief that the boundary between the living and the dead becomes thinner during certain supernatural occasions?
It is often described as a belief in a thinning veil between the living and the dead. This is folklore, not an established scientific fact.
In the 1966 animated television special It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, which character waits in a pumpkin patch for the Great Pumpkin?
Linus.
What is the name of the autumn weather phenomenon that can bring several warm, sunny days after cooler weather has arrived in the northeastern United States?
Indian summer, a traditional term for an unusually warm period in autumn.
What was the name of the 1931 film that made Boris Karloff famous for his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster?
Frankenstein.
True or false: Humans swallow eight spiders per year while sleeping.
False! This is a popular urban legend, not a scientific fact.
What is one important difference between ancient Samhain traditions and modern Halloween?
Samhain was a seasonal festival rooted in Celtic traditions, while modern Halloween combines many later religious, regional, commercial, and popular cultural customs.