Random Thursday

We're past the halfway mark of this rather fun article! I'm learning a few new things about Halloween, and seeing some already known facts! It's all fun really! So let's get back to 40 Spooky Facts about Halloween by Karin Lehnardt! Link to come!


21. Apparently because Protestant England didn't believe in Catholic saints, the rituals associated with Halloween became associated with Guy Fawkes Night. November 5 was declared as Guy Fawkes Night to commemorate the capture and execution of said man. He had co-conspired to blow Parliament up in 1605.

(image borrowed from Biogrpahy.com)

22. Harry Houdini died on October 31, 1926 from three punches to the stomach that ended up giving him appendicitis. 

23. In Scotland, girls believed they could see an image of their future husband if wet sheets were hung in front of the fire on Halloween. Another belief was that they would see their boyfriend's face in the mirror while walking downstairs on Halloween night. --> definitely an odd thing that I didn't know!

(image borrowed from slate.com)

24. Apparently, if one were to wear their clothes inside out and walk backwards on Halloween, they would see a witch that night!

25. Mexico celebrates Day of the Dead instead of Halloween. People dress up like ghouls and parade around in the street!

26. Often bonfires were lit during the per-celebrations of Samhain to ensure the sun would rise. Druid priests would throw cattle bones into the fire, thusly "bone fire" turned into "bonfire".

27. It was Celtic tradition to dress up as ghouls and such in order to avoid notice of the true evil spirits wandering about that night! --> this I totally remember learning!

(image borrowed from innovativeretailtechnologies.com)

28. In 2010, The National Retail Federation expected consumers to spend $66.28 per person--which totaled to $5.8 billion--on Halloween costumes, cards, and candy!

29. In 1970, five-year-old Kevin Toston apparently ate Halloween candy laced with heroin. It was later discovered the heroin belonged to his uncle and was not intended for a Halloween candy. --> and soon the razor blades evolved from this story I'm sure!

30. In 1974, Timothy O’Bryan, an eight-year-old boy, died of cyanide poisoning after eating Halloween candy. Later, investigators learned that his father had taken out a $20,000 life insurance policy on each of his children. He had poisoned his own son and also attempted to poison his daughter. --> sick sick sick!!