9 Not So Spooky Halloween Facts

In some places, the month of October is bookended with anything related to Halloween. Halloween costumes. Halloween thoughts. Halloween movies. Halloween dreams. Just Halloween all over. Well, you cannot blame this undeclared holiday because Halloween is surely fun for many. Just think about the candies and the costumes and the more that Halloween has to offer! And if you care to do something impressive for Halloween’s sake, you can learn these maybe-not-so-spooky facts for good measure.

Giphy: Peanuts

• Halloween originated in Ireland: The first celebration was known as Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival celebrated more than 2,000 years ago in Meath.
• Irish immigrants brought Halloween to the US: In the 1800s, immigrants fleeing the potato famine brought their traditions, including Halloween, to America.
• Fear of Halloween is Samhainophobia: This is the clinical term for the fear of anything related to the holiday.
• The world’s longest walk-through haunted house is 3,564 feet long: Located in Lewisburg, Ohio, it is set 80 feet underground in a real limestone cave.
• Halloween falls on a full moon every 19 years: Big, bright full moons on Halloween are actually quite rare!
• There are rituals about finding true love: In the 18th century, rituals like hiding rings in mashed potatoes or tossing apple peels were popular ways to predict romantic futures.
• Carved vegetables were the original jack-o’-lanterns: Turnips, potatoes, and beets were decorated long before pumpkins became the standard.
• "Witch" comes from "wicce": The Old English word translates to "wise woman," referring to someone who practices magic or sorcery.
• The biggest Halloween parade is in NYC: The Greenwich Village Halloween Parade draws about 2 million spectators and 50,000 costumed participants every year.