Read on for some fun facts about why people trick-or-treat, carve jack-o'-lanterns, and learn more about how different cultures celebrate festivals similar to Halloween around the world!

1. Halloween’s Origin

Did you know that Halloween traditions are very old? Halloween was first celebrated 2000 years ago in Britain and Ireland with Samhain, the beginning of the Celtic New Year.

2. Trick… or Treat?

In Scotland and Ireland, children dressed up and performed “tricks”, like singing, telling jokes, and showcasing other talents to receive treats. Before candy became popular as treats, children used to receive cakes!

3. Jack-o'-lanterns

To make a jack-o'-lantern, draw a funny face on a pumpkin and carve it out! In the past, candles were placed inside carved pumpkins to turn them into lanterns. This spooky tradition got its start in Ireland, where people used to carve turnips, beets, and potatoes.

4. Day of the Dead

In Mexico, Día de los Muertos ("Day of the Dead" in Spanish) is celebrated over two days at the start of November. In the streets, there are parades and exciting parties with singing and dancing. People dress up in skeleton costumes and paint skulls on their faces.

Food is an important part of the festival. A special bread called pan de muerto ("bread of the dead" in Spanish), shaped like a skull and bones, is made for the occasion. Small, brightly-coloured sugar skulls are also used as decorations at the festival.

5. Chuseok

Chuseok, also known as the Harvest Moon Festival, is a three-day celebration that occurs in South Korea in September or early October. People dedicate time to feasting, family, and honouring their ancestors.

For fun, men have Ssireum (wrestling) matches and women play Neolttwigi (Korean seesaw). At night, women and girls wear traditional dresses and perform a folk dance called Ganggangsullae. They sing under the full moon, hold hands, and dance in a circle.

6. Halloween in Germany

In some regions of Germany, festivals similar to Halloween are celebrated on different dates. For example, Martinstag (St Martin's Day) takes place in North and East Germany on 11 November.

This festival used to mark the start of winter, when crops stopped growing. Farmers went from door to door, asking for food in exchange for songs. This is similar to trick-or-treating, where children sing for sweets and play tricks when they don't get any!

7. Costumes

A huge part of Halloween is dressing up in costumes. Did you know that the biggest annual Halloween costume parade in the world takes place in New York City, along 6th Avenue? Each year, more than 60,000 people take part dressed up as zombies, ghosts, vampires, and other spooky monsters!

8. Haunted Houses

Haunted houses are popular attractions during Halloween. They often have creepy characters, dark rooms, as well as eerie music to match the mood. The first-ever "haunted house", Orton and Spooner Ghost House, opened in 1915 in the United Kingdom.

Hungry to learn more?

Check out these books for more Halloween trivia and fun facts!

The information from this article has been adapted from the following books.

We hope you have enjoyed this article! Check out our other Rooktober Fest activities and articles here.

Liked this article?

Share it on one of these social networks: