Just 88 days until Halloween!
Here is our first installment of “Lesser Known Facts About Halloween.” I learned a lot from this and I hope you do too!
This is one of my favorite Glass Wrappings' Halloween designs. If you’d like to order it, go to https://tinyurl.com/z3zsubbj
1. Halloween Began More Than 2,000 Years Ago
Halloween traces its roots to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced "SOW-in"), celebrated in Ireland, Scotland, and parts of Britain. People believed the boundary between the living and the dead became thinner on October 31.
2. Pumpkins Were Not the First Jack-o'-Lanterns
Before pumpkins, people in Ireland and Scotland carved turnips, potatoes, and beets into lanterns to ward off evil spirits. Pumpkins became popular after Irish immigrants came to North America and discovered they were larger and easier to carve.
3. Trick-or-Treating Is Relatively New
Modern trick-or-treating became widespread in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s. Earlier traditions included "souling" and "guising," where people went door-to-door singing or praying in exchange for food.
4. Black Cats Were Once Thought to Be Shape-Shifting Witches
In medieval Europe, some people believed witches could transform into black cats. This superstition helped cement the black cat as a Halloween symbol.
5. Candy Corn Was Originally Called "Chicken Feed"
Candy corn was introduced in the 1880s and marketed to rural Americans. The original boxes featured a rooster and were labeled "Chicken Feed."