Halloween Origin and History
The meaning of the word “Halloween”
What is “All Hallows’ Eve” (evening before All Saint’s Day or All Hallows’ Day)?
The purpose of carving and lighting Jack-O’-Lanterns
What is warding off Stingy Jack and evil spirits roaming Earth
The defense mechanism triggered in the brain when you watch a scary movie
What is Fight-or-Flight response?
1 popular superhero character
Who is Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Captain America, Hulk, Wolverine, Wonder Woman, Iron Man, Green Lantern, The Flash, … ? (any well-known superhero)
The Number to Report an Emergency at LCRA
What is 8911 (office phone), 512-730-8911 (cell phone)?
The true age of Halloween
What is 2000 years old? (Came to America in 1800’s)
The 2 other names for Trick-or-Treating
What is Souling? (medieval custom of taking soul-cakes from wealthy homes in exchange for singing or praying for souls of their family’s departed)
What is Mumming or Guising? (young people would dress up in costume/disguises, go door-to-door and accept gifts in exchange for singing, dancing, reciting poetry or telling jokes)
2 horror movies based on actual events
What are Scream, Psycho, The Exorcist, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Nightmare on Elm Street, Fire in the Sky, The Amityville Horror, Jeepers Creepers, Poltergeist, … ? (any 2 horror movies based on true stories)
2 popular anti-hero characters (lacks qualities of conventional hero)
Who is the Punisher/Frank Castle, Deadpool, Shrek, Jack Sparrow, John Wick, Mad Max, The Bride (Kill Bill), Hancock, Wolverine, Blade, … ? (any 2 well-known anti-hero)
2 LCRA strategic goals or initiatives
What are ...
Run an effective, cost-aware business
Manage and develop water
Implement digital tools and use data effectively
Build today’s workforce for the future
Ensure a sustainable transmission business
Maintain cost awareness & optimize appropriate changes
Evaluate mobility technologies
Perform technology evaluation?
The birthplace of Halloween
Ireland
3 other things used before pumpkins to carve Jack-O’-Lanterns
What are Turnips, potatoes, rutabagas, gourds, beets?
3 elements usually found in a horror movie
What are darkness, creepy crawlies, scary places, disfigurement, dismemberment, suspense, spooky music, trust no one, zombies, … ? (any 3 common horror movie elements)
3 superhero teams
What is the Justice League/DC Universe, X-Men, The Fantastic Four, Suicide Squad, The Avengers/The Marvel Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Batman Family, The Autobots/Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, … ? (any 3 well-known hero groups)
3 common safety hazards
What are Slips/Trips/Falls, Distracted Driving, Clutter, Ice patch, Extension cords/power strips/wires, Spills, blocked doorways and aisles, roof work, chemicals, biohazards, vapors/fumes/dust, parking lot, … ? (any 5 well-known safety hazards)
The ancient festival that originated Halloween
What is Samhain? (pronounced “Soh-win”, meaning “Summer’s End”, Gaelic/Celtic festival to celebrate end of summer harvest/start of a new year on November 1st, believed souls of dead returned to their homes, lit bonfires to ward off spirits, celebrates links between seasonal/life cycles, worlds of living and dead)
4 Halloween symbols or superstitions
What are Black cats (good luck on Halloween), Jack-O-Lanterns (scare off evil spirit of Stingy Jack), spiders on Halloween (spirit of a dead loved one watching you), dressing up/wearing costumes (to confuse roaming demons and souls of dead), bats and owls (nocturnal hunters, believed to be souls of dead, horned creatures revered by witches), crows/ravens (believed to locate souls of the dead), ghosts, skulls and skeletons, witches, … ? (any 4 common Halloween-related superstitions)
4 common fears or phobias found in horror movies
What are fear of death, fear of unknown, fear of isolation, fear of confinement, fear of dark, fear of pain/torture, fear of ghosts, fear of aliens, fear of birds, … ? (any 4 common fears in horror movies)
4 popular super villains
Who is the Joker, Two Face, The Penguin, The Riddler, Lex Luther, Juggernaut, Mystique, Sabretooth, Catwoman, Thanos, Darth Vader, The Wicked Witch of the West, Michael Myers, Jason Vorhees, Freddy Krueger, Count Dracula, Frankenstein, Hannibal Lecter, Apocalypse, Loki, Venom, … ? (any 4 well-known villains)
4 LCRA core values
What are Safety, Integrity, Respect, Initiative and Service?
The similar holiday celebrated in Mexico around the same time as Halloween
What is Day of the Dead? (prayer and remembrance of friends and family members who have died, celebrated November 1st and 2nd)
5 Halloween traditions or activities
What are making Jack-O’-Lanterns, wearing costumes, trick-or-treating, visiting haunted houses, telling scary stories, festive gatherings, eating treats, apple bobbing, setting off fireworks, lighting bonfires, decorating with scary ornaments, playing pranks, … ? (any 5 common Halloween props/activities)
The name of first horror movie ever made
What is “Le Manoir du Diable” (or “The Haunted Castle” or “The House of the Devil”)?
5 popular fictional or mythical creatures
What are Dragons, Pok-e-mon, Unicorns, Mermaid, Werewolf, Fairies, Golems, Goblins, Gnomes, Leprechauns, Loch Ness Monster, Big Foot, Griffins, Centaurs, Trolls, Vampires/Dracula, Yetis, Pegasus, Ghoul, Imp, Sea Serpent, Hydra, Kraken, Megalodon, … ? (any 5 well-known mythical or fictional creatures)
5 Safety reporting topics
What are Near Miss, Injury/Illness Incident, Property/Equipment Damage Incident, Vehicle Incident and Good Catch?