Everyone celebrates Halloween—but 99% don’t know the SHOCKING truth behind why we actually do it.
Why do we celebrate Halloween? Dive into 10 incredible facts about Halloween’s mysterious past—from Celtic rituals to Irish folklore. The truth will surprise you!
It’s October 31st, and you’re about to spend $100+ on costumes, candy, and decorations.
Your little cousin asks, “Why do we even do this?” And you’re like… uh… ghosts?
Yeah, I’ve been there too. But here’s the thing—Halloween has some seriously wild stories behind it that are way more interesting than any horror movie.
Buckle up, because these 10 facts about Halloween are about to make you the most interesting person at every Halloween party.
Fact #1: Halloween Started Over 2,000 Years Ago
Okay, so Halloween didn’t start with Spirit Halloween stores.
This spooky celebration actually dates back over 2,000 years to an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain.
The Celts—who lived in what’s now Ireland, Scotland, and parts of France—celebrated their new year on November 1st.
But here’s where it gets crazy: They believed that on October 31st, the night before their new year, the boundary between the living world and the dead got super blurry.
Like, ghosts could literally show up at your house uninvited.
To protect themselves, the Celts wore animal skins and masks to confuse these spirits, built massive bonfires, and left food outside their homes.
So basically, every time you put on a costume, you’re continuing a tradition that’s been around since before the pyramids were even finished. How’s that for ancient wisdom?
Fact #2: Why We Carve Pumpkins: The Jack-O’-Lantern Story
You’ve carved pumpkins, right? But do you know about Stingy Jack? Because this legend is pure chaos.
According to Irish folklore, there was this guy named Jack who was basically a professional trickster.
He somehow managed to trap the Devil not once, but twice.
When Jack finally died, God was like “nope, not letting you into heaven,” and the Devil—still mad about being tricked—refused to let him into hell either.
Poor Jack was stuck wandering Earth forever with just a hollowed-out turnip and a burning coal to light his way.
The Irish started carving scary faces into turnips and potatoes to keep “Jack of the Lantern” and other wandering spirits away from their homes.
When Irish immigrants came to America, they discovered pumpkins were way bigger and easier to carve than turnips.
And just like that, the jack-o’-lantern became an American Halloween staple. Talk about a glow-up!
Fact #3: Trick-or-Treating Used to Be a Spiritual Exchange
Back in medieval England, there was a tradition called “souling”.
Poor people would go door-to-door on November 2nd (All Souls’ Day) offering to pray for dead relatives in exchange for “soul cakes”.
These were sweet pastries, and honestly, the deal was pretty smart—you get food, the dead get prayers, everyone’s happy.
In Scotland and Ireland, kids practiced “guising”—they’d dress up in costumes and perform songs, jokes, or tricks in exchange for treats.
This tradition came to America with immigrants, but Americans didn’t really embrace it until the 1920s.
By the 1950s, candy companies saw a golden opportunity, and boom—modern trick-or-treating was born.
So yeah, that fun-size Snickers you’re about to eat? It’s technically a spiritual descendant of medieval soul cakes. You’re basically participating in history.
Fact #4: We Spend an ABSURD Amount of Money on Halloween
Let’s talk numbers, because they’re absolutely bonkers.
In 2025, Americans are expected to spend a record-breaking $13.1 billion on Halloween. That’s more than the GDP of some small countries!
The average person celebrating will spend about $114.45.
Breaking it down: $4.3 billion goes to costumes, $4.2 billion to decorations, and about $3.9 billion to candy alone.
And get this—we buy 600 million pounds of candy every Halloween season. That’s the weight of roughly 200,000 cars… in candy.
The average trick-or-treater collects around 3,500 calories worth of treats in one night, which would take 44 hours of walking to burn off.
Halloween has become the second-biggest commercial holiday in America after Christmas.
So if you’re wondering why your wallet feels lighter every October, now you know!
Fact #5: Candy Corn Is America’s Most Controversial Candy
Let’s address the elephant—or should I say, the candy corn—in the room.
Only 49% of Americans actually like candy corn, while 23% think its straight-up disgusting.
Despite this divide, candy corn is the most popular Halloween candy in 20 states.
It’s like the pineapple-on-pizza debate but make it Halloween.
Meanwhile, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups dominate nationally, followed by Snickers and M&Ms.
About 61% of Americans prefer chocolate-based candies over fruity or gummy options.
And here’s a fun fact: candy corn was originally called “Chicken Feed” when it was invented in the 1880s.
Yeah, they literally marketed it as chicken food for humans.
Marketing has come a long way, folks.
Fact #6: Black Cats Are Halloween Icons (But for All the Wrong Reasons)
Black cats and Halloween go together like peanut butter and jelly, but the history is actually pretty sad.
In Medieval Europe, black cats got a terrible reputation.
The Catholic Church associated them with witchcraft and Satan in the 13th century.
People believed witches could transform into black cats, leading to the superstition that a black cat crossing your path meant bad luck.
Plot twist: this wasn’t always the case! In Ancient Egypt, black cats were worshipped and considered sacred.
In Japan, Scotland, and parts of England, they’re symbols of good luck and prosperity. Scottish folklore says if a stray black cat shows up at your door, you’re about to get rich.
The sad part? Because of these old superstitions, black cats are still adopted less frequently from animal shelters today.
They’re literally discriminated against because of medieval prejudice.
But here’s the good news: animal welfare experts have completely debunked myths about black cats being harmed during Halloween—those stories are total urban legends with zero evidence.
Fact #7: Halloween Full Moons Are Rarer Than You Think
Every Halloween decoration features a full moon, right? Well, reality check: they’re super rare.
A full moon on Halloween only happens once every 18 to 19 years.
The last one visible across most of the planet was in 2020, and before that, you’d have to go back to 1944. That’s a 76-year gap!
The 2020 Halloween full moon was extra special—it was also a “Blue Moon” (the second full moon in one month) and a “Micro Moon” (when the moon is farthest from Earth in its orbit).
If you missed it, don’t worry—the next Halloween full moon won’t happen until 2039. Mark your calendars now, I guess?
Fact #8: Your Costume Game Has Deep Historical Roots
Think costumes are just for Instagram? Think again.
Medieval Europeans practiced something called “mumming”.
People would dress as ghosts, demons, and supernatural creatures, then go door-to-door singing, dancing, and performing plays in exchange for food and drink.
It wasn’t just for Halloween either—Christmas and Easter got the same treatment.
This evolved into what we now call trick-or-treating, but with way more theatrical flair.
Imagine modern trick-or-treaters having to perform a full TikTok dance routine at every house to earn their candy.
Actually, that would be pretty entertaining.
Today’s costume trends reflect pop culture moments—in 2025, people are dressing as everything from viral internet memes to movie characters.
Your costume isn’t just about looking cool; it’s a continuation of a centuries-old tradition of celebration and performance art.
Fact #9: Halloween Safety is No Joke
Real talk for a second: Halloween can be dangerous if you’re not careful.
Statistics show that children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween as on any other day of the year.
That’s terrifying—and not in the fun Halloween way.
Here’s how to stay safe: wear bright, reflective costumes with glow sticks or reflective tape.
Use face makeup instead of masks that block your vision.
Carry flashlights.
Young kids should always be with a responsible adult, and older kids should stick to groups and well-lit areas they know.
And parents, this is crucial: inspect all candy before kids eat anything.
Throw away unwrapped items, homemade treats from strangers, or anything that looks suspicious.
About 80% of parents already do this, so you’re in good company.
Fact #10: Halloween Has Gone Global (With Amazing Local Twists)
Halloween isn’t just an American thing anymore—it’s worldwide, and every culture adds its own flavour.
Mexico celebrates Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on November 1-2, creating beautiful altars decorated with marigolds, photos, and favorite foods to honour deceased loved ones.
It’s vibrant, colourful, and deeply meaningful.
In Austria, they celebrate the Pumpkin Festival and leave bread, water, and a lighted lamp outside to welcome dead souls.
Japan has embraced Halloween with massive costume parties and themed events, though they also celebrate their own Obon Festival for honouring spirits.
The Philippines has “pangangaluluwa,” where people dress as lost souls and sing door-to-door asking for alms.
Even countries that never traditionally celebrated Halloween—like France, Germany, and Hong Kong—are now getting into the spooky spirit with costume parties and decorations.
Halloween is proof that fun traditions can cross borders and bring people together.
The Bottom Line
Halloween is so much more than costumes, candy, and spooky decorations.
It’s a 2,000-year-old tradition that’s evolved from ancient Celtic rituals into a global celebration.
Every jack-o’-lantern you carve, every costume you wear, and every piece of candy you eat connects you to centuries of human creativity, storytelling, and community.
So this October 31st, whether you’re trick-or-treating, hosting a party, or just vibing at home with horror movies, remember—you’re part of something ancient, meaningful, and honestly pretty magical.
Stay safe, have an absolute blast, and may your candy haul be legendary.
UR 1 Comment and Share Motivates Me! I look forward to seeing you in the next blog! Thank you for taking time to read the blog!
