1. According to Irish legend, Jack O’Lanterns are named after a stingy man named Jack who, because he tricked the devil several times, was forbidden entrance into both heaven and hell.
He was condemned to wander the Earth, waving his lantern to lead people away from their paths.
2. Halloween has variously been called All Hallows’ Eve, Witches Night, Lamswool, Snap-Apple Night, Samhaim, and Summer’s End.
3. Scottish girls believed they could see images of their future husband if they hung wet sheets in front of the fire on Halloween. Other girls believed they would see their boyfriend’s faces if they looked into mirrors while walking downstairs at midnight on Halloween.
4. According to tradition, if a person wears his or her clothes inside out and then walks backwards on Halloween,
he or she will see a witch at midnight.
5. During the pre-Halloween celebration of Samhain, bonfires were lit to ensure the sun would return after the long, hard winter. Often Druid priests would throw the bones of cattle into the flames and, hence, bone fire became bonfire.
6. The owl is a popular Halloween image. In Medieval Europe, owls were thought to be witches, and to hear an owl's call meant someone was about to die.
7. Children are more than twice as likely to be killed in a pedestrian/car accident on Halloween than on any other night.
8. These are real towns: Frankenstein, Mo.; Scary, W.Va.; Spook City, Colo.; and Candy Town, Ohio.
9. More than 35 million pounds of candy corn are produced each year.10. Traditionally, a Halloween Cake was baked with a thimble inside. Whoever got the thimble in their slice was to be unfortunate in love for the next year.
Scary, WV! And ick, candy corn....
ReplyDeleteI hope everyone watches their kids walking in the street making sure they don't get hit by a car!
ReplyDeleteWatch your children. Remember safety and reflective gear. We want everyone to have a safe and fun Halloween!!!
ReplyDeleteNot sure if I would think a thimble in my cake was lucky...normally, objects in your food aren't good. :)
Hmm...I wonder who thought, "Hey...let's bake a thimble into a cake!" SOMEONE got their tooth chipped. :-)
ReplyDeleteHope Scottish girls are careful...Walking down the stairs looking into a mirror or hanging sheets by a fire sounds a little dangerous.
ReplyDelete35 million lbs of candy corn :) yum
ReplyDeleteNumber 7 was the scariest of all. Please warn people too not let friends drink and drive as the leave parties as our kids are out there
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know the story behind jack o lanterns. It really is strange to carve pumpkins when you think about it!
ReplyDeleteUnique how bonfires got it's name. The bones of cattle being thrown on a fire so the sun would return....who thinks of these things???
ReplyDeleteI live in Missouri and didn't realize we had a town called Frankenstein. I had to look it up. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting the stories people come up with to explain where we get things. I didn't know the legend behind the Jack O'Lantern before. Interesting!
ReplyDeleteAll that candy corn...Funny that we don't really eat it throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of some of the other names but never Lamswool. Interesting.
ReplyDelete