Spooky History
Coinciding closely with Halloween on November 1st and 2nd, this multi-day Mexican holiday reunites the living and dead with colorful ofrendas and marigolds.
What is Día de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead)?
Mary Shelley created this gothic character in an 1818 novel, though partygoers routinely confuse the creation's name with that of his maker.
Who is Frankenstein's monster (or Frankenstein's creature)?
Directed by John Carpenter in 1978, this seminal slasher film unleashed the silent, William Shatner-masked killer Michael Myers on Haddonfield, Illinois.
What is "Halloween"?
Crossing paths with this dark-furred feline is widely considered an omen of misfortune in Western folklore.
What is a black cat?
When the Wunderle Candy Company first manufactured this striped, tri-colored autumnal confection in the 1880s, it was sold under the name "Chicken Feed."
What is candy corn?
In 1692, mass hysteria in this Massachusetts settlement resulted in the execution of twenty people convicted of witchcraft.
Where is Salem?
Starting in 1950, trick-or-treaters began carrying iconic orange collection boxes to raise pocket change for this global humanitarian fund.
What is UNICEF?
In this 1993 Henry Selick and Tim Burton stop-motion film, Pumpkin King Jack Skellington schemes to take over Christmas.
What is "The Nightmare Before Christmas"?
Practiced right after mentioning good luck to avoid jinxing yourself, this physical habit stems from ancient pagan beliefs that benevolent spirits lived inside tree trunks.
What is knocking on wood (or touching wood)?
Originating as a Roman courtship ritual honoring the goddess Pomona, this party game challenges players to grab floating produce using only their teeth.
What is bobbing for apples?
The word "Halloween" is a 16th-century Scottish contraction of this four-word phrase meaning the night before All Saints' Day.
What is "All Hallows' Eve" (or All Hallows' Evening)?
Bram Stoker based his legendary 1897 Transylvanian vampire on this brutal 15th-century Wallachian prince known as "The Impaler."
Who is Vlad III (or Vlad Dracula / Vlad the Impaler)?
In this 1993 Disney favorite, the resurrected Sanderson sisters run amok in modern-day Salem after a teenager lights the Black Flame Candle.
What is "Hocus Pocus"?
Doing this indoors was historically believed to insult household protective deities or the sun god, welcoming misfortune under your roof.
What is opening an umbrella?
This sticky autumnal fairground treat on a stick was invented in the 1950s by a Kraft Foods employee who melted down a surplus batch of discount inventory.
What is a caramel apple?
Long before pumpkins were used in North America, 19th-century Irish celebrants carved scary faces into this root vegetable.
What is a Turnip?
Modern witch costumes owe their distinctive green face paint to Margaret Hamilton’s iconic portrayal of this villain in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.
Who is the Wicked Witch of the West?
In this 1988 Tim Burton dark fantasy comedy, a deceased couple hires a striped-suit-wearing "bio-exorcist" played by Michael Keaton by repeating his name three times.
What is "Beetlejuice"?
Originating with the ancient Etruscans, two people snap this specific V-shaped avian bone to determine whose secret wish will come true.
What is a wishbone (or furcula)?
First introduced by Starbucks in 2003, this viral seasonal flavor profile famously contained zero actual pumpkin ingredients until a recipe overhaul in 2015.
What is Pumpkin Spice (or the PSL / Pumpkin Spice Latte)?
Carved pumpkins get their classic nickname from an old Irish folktale about an unsavory blacksmith named "Stingy" this, who was doomed to wander the earth with only a burning ember to light his way.
Who is Jack (or Stingy Jack)?
According to modern European werewolf folklore, this specific metal projectile is required to slay a lycanthrope.
What is a silver bullet?
In this 1991 gothic family comedy, Anjelica Huston and Raúl Juliá play Morticia and Gomez, who welcome home long-lost relative Uncle Fester.
What is "The Addams Family"?
According to old financial folklore, an unexplained itch in the palm of your right hand signals that you are about to receive this.
What is money (or cash)?
Named after the Mars family's favorite Kentucky racehorse, this peanut, caramel, and nougat bar is consistently one of the most traded items from trick-or-treat bags.
What is a Snickers?