Fun Halloween Facts

I have always loved spooky things, horror movies, and Halloween. I've never been afraid of the dark, and love to turn off all the lights in the house, cuddle up with my wonderful husband, and watch the 1978 version of "Halloween" even though it was not included in the top ten most thrilling movies of all time.

The three that rank as the scariest movies of all time, in no particular order are: Silence of the Lambs, The Exorcist, and Psycho. These three are also included in the top ten most thrilling movies along with: Jaws, North By Northwest, Rosemary's Baby, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The French Connection, Alien, and The Birds.Of course everyone associates Halloween with certain things like ghosts, black cats, and pumpkins. The largest pumpkin of all time weighed in at a whopping 1,469 pounds. The farmer who grew this massive pumpkin was from Cambria, Pennsylvania. The first Jack O'Lanterns were actually made from hollowed out turnips, not pumpkins.

Great news! Did you know that chocolate is better for you than hard candy? This is because chocolate contains tannin, which helps to reduce plaque formation on the teeth. The top three candies trick or treaters voted on in a poll are Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, candy corn, and Snickers.

In Britain and Ireland, Halloween used to be called "mischief night" and people were allowed to play pranks on friends and neighbors without being reprimanded.

The tradition of trick or treating door to door is said to have come from an old European custom called "souling." It came about when beggars went from village to village begging for "soul cakes", which were square pieces of bread with currants. Beggars promised to pray for dead relatives of the people who gave them these treats.

Many historical facts about Halloween customs have been passed down through the ages. There are also some interesting and unusual facts about Halloween that you may not know such as this: Did you know that the next full moon that will occur on Halloween night will be in the year 2020?

It has been polled and found that women are more likely to believe in ghosts than men, and nearly half of all Americans believe in ghosts. 50% of young Americans from the ages of 18-45 years of age also believe in ghosts, and 2% state that they have actually seen or felt the presence of a ghost.

Trick or treat for UNICEF was started in 1950 in Philadelphia. Today money from trick or treat for UNICEF helps provide school supplies, immunizations, and vitamins for a very small contribution.

Halloween is the time to have a little spooky fun, and is not limited to being a children's holiday. Adults enjoy Halloween activities as well, one third of adults according to one survey. So parents get your little ghosts and goblins ready for a safe and fun Halloween this year.

Source:

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/halloweenfacts